Among Us
by Whackedgourd
Summary: The Skeksis have begun raiding villages and taking Gelfing in droves. Some escape and make their way to safety. There are whispers of caravans leaving for the coasts and sailing across the seas to safety.
1. Sanctuary Granted

In the Spriton Plains, northwest of Sami Thicket, half an unum's travel or more, if you were on foot. A small farming village, specializing in warmer weather vegetables, was located. Ostensibly an outpost to ensure the Dousan were unable to invade, this little village became the target of a massacre. The entire village was razed to the ground, all gelfing were taken prisoner, or killed if they resisted overmuch. Only a few survived, those who had managed to hide quickly enough, or had left the safety of the village early in the morning to go hunt for early berries in an effort to avoid doing chores.

"I travelled all this way to the Great Smerth. In the hope of finding safety, or at least, passage to where you are sending the gelfing who can't fight with the resistance." said a female Spriton. "I only survived the raze, because I left early to gather berries. By the time I returned, everything, my home and family, all the villagers, it was all gone. I seek sanctuary, for as long as you are willing to give it, Maudra Laesid." the Spriton knelt on the wooden floor, clearly exhausted and overwhelmed, to judge by the tears that escaped her eyes.

Laesid considered a moment, then stood.

"I myself do not know where the refugees go to after they leave Sog. The next caravan isn't due to leave for two unum. You are welcome to remain here until then." Laesid stated and turned to leave the hall.

"Thank you Maudra Laesid." said the Spriton, several female gelfing helped her to her feet, and took her to the bathing pools. Laesid nodded slightly to herself before leaving and meeting Bellanji in their home.

"You look pensive. Laesid pointed out as she removed her formal robes.

"Reports keep coming in of small towns and villages being attacked, few to no survivors. That gelfing was lucky to even get here. Why didn't she go to Sami Thicket?" Bellanji asked as he looked at a large map with many small, red, marks on it, denoting villages that had been lost. "And, how are the Skeksis finding most of our smaller villages? Even during tithing, the Spritons' kept a few farming towns off their records. As we do with our fish farms." he added, sitting down.

"We have lost many of our people, but we are reclaiming more every day. This gelfing wasn't the only one from her village to come. They feared Sami Thicket lost, since their village was sacked, and it being so far out, almost in Dousan territory. They travelled south rather than east, hoping to avoid a larger force. I've sent the others off to catch up with the caravan, the girl will be more useful than an elder and several childlings. She'll be put to work in the kitchen, or on patrol." Laesid said, she had sat down, and yawned. "Late nights, and early mornings no longer suit us my love. Slumber calls me."

"A good night's sleep helps heal the mind and soul." Bellanji said, following Laesid to their bed.


	2. Welcome Home

Naia sighed and tugged on her brother's hair. He grunted and glanced at her.

"What?" Gurjin grumbled, rubbing his head.

"Don't 'What' me. I can tell you're tiring, can almost feel it too." Naia said, running her hand across her forehead, she had oh so happily forgotten how humid Sog got during the summer unums. "This heat isn't doing any of us any good, especially not you. We can stop and travel on later, when the suns set."

"I'll be fine. Maudra sent for us. Best we get there as soon as we can." Gurjin said, setting his jaw. He had been prideful, before his torture, of his strenght and stamina. The torture seemed to have taken almost half of his stamina away and this was eating at his confidence in his ability to remain a warrior and helpful to the gelfling resistance.

Clever, and wise, Kylan set his pack down on some dry land with the roots of a grove tree nearby.

"I think we could all use a bit of a rest." Kylan announced and started setting up a trivet to set his fry pan on. "How about you two find us some fish? I'll get us some greens, good for stamina and energy." Gurjin heard his neck crack as he whipped his head around to look at Kylan, who played blithefully unaware of Gurjin's sudden accusatory look. Amri, however grinned at Gurjin and snapped his flint and iron to start the fire.

Gurjin snorted and pulled off his shirt and travel cloak, exposing his gills, as Naia was doing, her wings and gills exposed to the air. Gurjin became aware of attention, and looked back at Kylan and Amri. Both were watching curiously, as his gills opened and fluttered. Although Amri was looking more at Naia, she was already wading into the pool they had stopped near. Gurjin discreetly picked up a small branch. Once Naia was underwater, Gurjin turned and chucked the stick at Amri, his aim true, the stick hit Amri in the forehead, making him squawk in surprise. Gurjin dove into the water, token attempt at protecting his sister's honour complete. Gurjin could hear Kylan and Amri as he swam. Kylan sounded both scolding and amused, Amri sounded petulant.

Naia and Gurjin fished for a short time, going back to their camp with fish enough for everyone to fill their bellies, although Kylan usually ate only a few bites of meat at any meal. He did prefer to eat more vegetables than anything lately.

"What did Maudra Laesid's message say again, Naia?" Kylan asked, as he added some of his secret seasoning to the fish and salad.

"Just that Gurjin and I were to return quickly. She won't mind that you and Amri have come along as well." Naia said, leaning closer to the fire, and sniffing the frying fish appreciatively.

"Oh, I'm sure mother will mind when she figures out why Amri is along." Gurjin muttered into his cup of ta, another special blend, but of Naia's making, to aide his healing.

"What was that brother?" Naia hissed, her teeth bared in a chilling grin, one Gurjin remembered all too well from childhood skirmishes.

"Nothing important. Good ta tonight." Gurjin said, playing innocent, and gulping his ta.

Food and rest restored their tempers and energy, although, Gurjin got an icy glare when Amri and Naia had a moment to themselves to speak. Gurjin shrugged, and grinned at his twin before getting to his feet to continue their journey towards the Great Smerth and home.

Several days later, they walked into the gathering hall, while Maudra Laesid was holding council.

"Maudra Laesid, we have come at your command. We have brought Kylan of the Spritons and Amri of the Grottans. They have been invaluable on this journey." Naia said, formally introducing her friends. Gurjin bowed to Maudra Laesid, wincing slightly as he straightened back up. Laesid's eyes narrowed as she evaluated his condition.

"Welcome to the Great Smerth. We hope your time with us is pleasant, even in these dark times." Laesid said as Kylan nudged Amri into a short bow.

"Thank you Maudra, we are relieved to be among friends." Kylan said as he stood, Amri was looking around in wonder at the strange Drenchen decorations. "It's been too long since I travelled into the Swamp of Sog and met with the Drenchen artisans." Laesid smiled faintly, Kylan was a wise young gelfling, he could have been a diplomat had he wanted.

"Naia, why don't you take your friends to the dining hall, and then show then around. I'm sure we have some beds left in the guest quarters that they can make use of." Laesid instructed, Naia looked torn for a moment, as if she wanted to correct her mother. "Or is there somewhere else you'd like to put them?"

"Kylan can bunk with me. Amri can join Naia." Gurjin said, both Naia and Amri gave him looks of horror, speechless at his bluntness.

"Is that so?" Laesid asked blandly, but a wicked grin began forming on her lips.

"They haven't said anything to define anything, but I have eyes, and they can't see anything but each other." Kylan said as Gurjin chuckled. Naia covered her face with her hands.

"Oh, Naia sweetling. We aren't as uptight as the Vapra. If the two of you wish to share a bed, we will not stop you." Laesid laughed.

"This could all have been said in private." Naia moaned from behind her hands.

"It wouldn't have been half so entertaining." Gurjin pointed out with a laugh. "And mother looks a little less anxious now, than when we came in." he added in a whisper for Naia's ears only, he turned her about and led them all to their private home.

"She's worried about your condition too. I don't know anything except that you tire more easily than ever." Naia said as she sat on a low couch with Amri. "What use am I as the best Healer the Drenchen have had in an Age, if I can't heal my own brother?" she demanded, as Gurjin shook his head

"We either destroy the Crystal of Truth, or heal it. That's probably the only way I'll ever completely recover. After all, it's supposed to give, not take." Gurjin said, matter of factly. Naia, Amri and Kylan stared at him. "What?"

"How did you come up with that theory?" Kylan asked incredulously.

"I was thinking about it all the way here. The crystal took Mira's body, but left behind her essence. The Skeksis only let the Crystal torture me, but I felt drained. Only there wasn't any of my essence taken. So I believe the Crystal has my strength trapped in it, just waiting to be released. Either by fixing or destroying the Crystal." Gurjin explained easily. Amri and Naia stared at him, while Kylan gaped, his mouth opening and closing like a fish for a moment.

"Aren't I supposed to be the wise one and Brea the clever one?" Kylan finally joked, making Gurjin chuckle and relieve the tension in the room. After a few moments of laughter, Naia stood.

"We're home now, for a short time. Rian is still looking for Deet, Brea and Seladon are organizing with the Sifa and Dousan. We are among family and friends. We can rest for a few days, before leaving to join our friends." Naia said as she opened a door. "I'll show these two to our rooms. Mother wants to speak to you." Gurjin looked up, just as Laesid and Bellanji came into the room. Naia, Kylan, and Amri hurried up the stairs to escape what would have been an awkward moment if they had stayed.

"Gurjin." Laesid said as she held out her arms. "My dear son." a few tears escaped the older gelfling's eyes as she hugged her much larger son. Bellanji wrapped his arms around his wife and son, and a heavy sigh escaped him. Gurjin relaxed in their embrace.

"Ma, I'll be fine. I'm just a little short of breath now and again." Gurjin said softly, trying to ease Laesid's worry. "Naia's been doing great work. Her ta and healing have done wonders. The muscle weakness is gone, and so is the dizziness." he added brightly.

"I want you to stay here for an unum or more, until I am certain you won't suddenly die on me. We have lost too many, my children will not be counted among those until after I have passed on as well." Laesid said, a hard look quelled Gurjin's attempt to argue.

"We know you wish to rejoin Rian, but until we receive word that he has found Deet, and that they are safe, it is best to wait." Bellanji said, stepping away from Laesid, but keeping his hand on Gurjin's shoulder. "Sit son, there is much we need to discuss. Begin at the beginning and end with the end."

"First of all, who is that new Spriton girl I saw carrying platters in the hall?" Gurjin asked with a grin as his parents finally laughed.


	3. Bread and Fish

Elta headed down to the main kitchen to begin helping make breakfast, the Drenchen liked to have communal meals. She had been on kitchen duty for nearly an unum, the Drenchen seemed to like the flat bread she had gotten from her mother. They also liked the fry bread she had made entirely by accident. A Drenchen female had set a bowl of dough next to her as she had been dropping fish rolls into hot oil. Thinking it had been a new batch, she had made up rolls and flattened them into rounds like her flatbread. The older female had looked dismayed at the slightly oblong and flattened rolls, until a male came in and used one to dip in his soup. He then declared it delicious and took a few more. Elta later found out that the male was Bellanji, Maudra Laesid's lifemate.

"Elta? Can you make up a big batch of that flatbread? The caravan leader wants it for the journey. She said it keeps better and takes up less space, so they can take more of it." Yupa,a younger female who seemed to like Elta, asked brightly.

"I suppose I could, but it will take a lot of flour. The next shipment won't be for a while." Eilta said, as she rolled up her sleeves to begin.

"Oh, did you hear? Last night, Naia and Gurjin came home. And they brought another Spriton and a Grottan with them. And the Grottan slept with Naia." Yupa saidsounding scandalized.

"I thought the Drenchen were more lenient than other clans when it came to relationships?" Elta asked pointedly. Yupa looked slightly chagrined, before brightening up.

"I only mean, they might have a ceremony, which means we'll get to have a Festival. Naia is the Maudra's oldest daughter and the next Maudra. It's a big deal." Yupa said happily. "And Gurjin is back too. He's so handsome!" she squealed dancing on the spot.

"Let's just get to work." Elta said with a laugh.

"How long do I have to stay inside?" Gurjin groaned, he had draped himself across a table, since Laesid's private office only had her desk, chair, and the table where her ta was usually set.

"You don't have to stay indoors. You have to rest, and try to recover your strength as much as possible. You could go fishing, or gathering greens, or anything that gets you out of my hair." Laesid said as she wrote in her ledger.

"You wanted me home." Gurjin pointed out.

"I wanted you where I could make sure you were healing. Now I am beginning to regret that motherly instinct." Laesid muttered, rolling her eyes, Gurjin chuckled at her tone. "How about I have a gelfling attend and make sure you don't exert yourself ovemuch?"

"You're going to assign me a keeper?" Gurjin asked, slightly insulted.

"A friend, who will do as I ask, not as your whims demand." Laesid said, standing and hauling Gurjin to his feet by grabbing his ears.

"Why do you and Naia insist on pulling my ears and hair?" Gurjin asked as he walked away, rubbing his ears. Laesid rolled her eyes after he vanished from sight. A thought occurred to her as she went into her office.

"Elta! Maudra Laesid has called for you. She wants to see you in her private study." a male page called across the kitchen. Elta looked up from the bread dough she was kneading. "She wants you to come now." the page added and hurried off. Elta left her spot and headed up to the Maudra's study.

"You sent for me Maudra Laesid?" Elta said as she opened the door to Laesid's personal study.

"Yes, I have a task for you." Laesid said, turning to Elta and standing. "As you have likely been informed by several sources, my daughter and son returned home last night and brought some friends with them." Laesid began, then stopped and gave Elta a quizzical look. Elta looked down at her dress. The front of her bodice and skirt were covered in tan coloured flour. Elta sighed, she had forgotten to put an apron on again.

"I was making bread. I may have forgotten my apron." Elta admitted sheepishly, trying to discreetly brush off the flour. Laesid smiled slightly and swung her robes around.

"My daughter and her companions will be staying till the next caravan leaves. My son, however, will remain to recover from the torture he endured at the hands of the Skeksis." Laesid began, she busied herself with tidying a small shelf, while Elta waited for her to continue.

"He requires a companion, someone to keep him occupied." Laesid added, not realizing her wry tone wasn't coming across to Elta.

"A companion?" Elta squeaked slightly.

"Someone to keep him from overexerting himself, be his friend. Make sure he takes his medicine, and keep him out of my hair." Laesid explained, Elta sighed in relief.

"I'll do what I can, Maudra." Elta said.

"Good, you have my thanks. Meet him tomorrow morning, at the fishing docks. He wishes to do some light fishing. Keep him out for at least half the day. I'll have a basket made up with instructions for his medicines. He was always difficult about taking it on time or at all." Laesid said with a wry smile. "Do you have other clothing?"

"Just what I came with Maudra. There wasn't much left to salvage." Elta said, looking at her feet, clad in worn boots.

"Indeed, come with me. We can check the store rooms. There should be some clothes that will fit a Spriton." Laesid said, leading Elta down a poorly lit hall.

"Clothing that will suit an adult Spriton? I'm rather slight in comparison to many Drenchen girls. Those my size are much younger than I am." Elta pointed out, with a wry look on her face. Laesid chuckled.

"Naia insisted on having clothing that fit her, rather than her age. We'll see if any survived her." Laesid said with another laugh. "If not, my younger daughters may have something to fit you."

An hour later, Elta was headed back to her little two room cottage with arms full of trousers, blouses, skirts, petticoats, bodices, shoes, sandals, and a good pair of travelling boots. She hadn't received this level of generosity in a very long time. Maudra Laesid had said that she had earned payment, but it had slipped her mind to see that Elta had been properly paid for her hard work. Elta fet tears prick at her eyes and put the memories that this generosity brought to mind, out of her mind. She didn't like recalling her village. Laesid was a very generous gelfling, when she was happy and content with her current circumstances.

Please review. I haven't written anything in nearly two years, so I'm rusty. My composition and structure are off.


	4. First Outing

Gurjin set his fishing gear in his canoe, the one his father had built for him after he had been accepted as a castle guard. He straightened up, and looked around, wondering where his new keeper was. Laesid hadn't said anything beyond that she would meet him at the docks and she was late. Gurjin reached for his little flask of Sog gin, and realized his mother had confiscated it when she had woken him up this morning. He sighed, it would have been nice to add to the bitter ta Naia had given him.

"I'm here! I'm here! I am so sorry I'm late." Elta gasped as she hurried towards him with a massive basket. "Let's see, we have some fish rolls for a snack, soup and more rolls for lunch, some sweet, chilled ta to drink, and sweets to snack on. Maudra Laesid seems to think we both have enormous sweet tooths." Elta rambled, as she poked through the basket of food. Gurjin smiled and laughed lightly.

"Ma likes to coddle. How much medicine did she send along? That's the only reason I would get that many sweets." Said Gurjin, taking the basket and stowing it under the bow seat where Elta would sit. "What do you know about canoes?"

"Not a thing. I'm from the Spriton Plains, up near the border of the Crystal Desert. We only had rivers during the wet season. They weren't even knee deep on a fizzgig. The water moved very fast though." Elta said, looking at the canoe dubiously. "I thought we would be taking a boat. This looks like a hollow tree trunk."

"It's a canoe, my father made it for me." Gurjin said coolly. "Hop in and sit down at that end. I'll shove off." Elta clambered over the side of the canoe and sat down as Gurjin said, while he pushed the canoe into the water and easily vaulted in to take his seat and begin paddling.

They got to the middle of the river and caught the current. Elta clutched at the hem of her tunic nervously. She had elected to wear leggings, a long billowy tunic, and a simple traders vest. Gurjin was in a wrap shirt and trousers that only reached his calves, he also wore sandals, since a canoe had no rigging to get caught in.

"Are you alright?" Gurjin asked, Elta was obviously tense, her wings kept rattling together.

"I'm fine. I'm just not very comfortable being on the water." Elta said, peering over the side of the canoe.

"There's nothing around here that can eat you, and anything bigger than you won't even try." Gurjin said with a laugh, Elta glanced back at him, wondering if he was teasing her.

"How far are we going to go? You're the only one who knows how to paddle the canoe, and if you get tired, we could get stuck out here. After travelling from my village al the way here to the Great Smerth, I am not keen on camping out of doors ever again." Elta said, giving the basket under her feet a nudge, trying to distract herself from all the water all around them.

"Just a little further ahead is a small island with trees on it, it's dry enough to get a fire going. Mother said to do as I please, and relax. So that's what I'm going to do. I'll do a little fishing, maybe swim a little. Mostly, whatever I want." Gurjin said, setting the paddle on his lap and letting the current carry the canoe as he rested his arms. "I can teach you how to paddle and steer the canoe later, if you want." he offered. Elta considered for a moment.

"I suppose that it wouldn't hurt to learn something new. And you'd be able to rest on the way back." she admitted.

"Oh, no. The current would be too strong for anyone who hasn't done this before." Gurjin pointed out. "But you would be able to paddle. It'll take time to build up the muscle necessary to beat the current." he added as hung her head in defeat. Not much later, Gurjin's island came into view, and they pulled up onto the gravel beach.

"Want to learn how to hold the canoe while I fish?" Gurjin asked with a smile. Elta suddenly realized that Yupa was right, Gurjin was handsome.

"Alright. What do I do?" Elta asked. Gurjin tossed the paddle at her and chuckled as she fumbled to hold it.

"Let's go." Gurjin stated and started pushing the canoe out into the water. "You take my seat this time. Blade in the water about half way, push forward so the canoe goes backwards, that's good." Gurjin continued giving Elta instructions and soon she was paddling on her own, only needing a few reminders from Gurjin. They bobbed along around the island as Gurjin fished and talked about his adventures with Rian and Mira before she had been killed by the Skeksis. Elta listened and asked questions, which led to more recounts of their escapades in the Castle of the Crystal.

Gurjin was lying on his seat, feet hanging over the side of the canoe, holding his fishing line in one hand and a fish roll in the other. He and Elta had lapsed into companionable silence. Elta was fixing his medicine and a cup of sweet ta to wash it down with. Just as Elta held out the cup, Gurjin felt a tug on his line, and sat up. The tug became a pull and Gurjin stood up to try and pull in his fish. He braced one foot on the side of the canoe and leaned back, Elta leaned in the opposite direction he was, which put her closer to the water. Gurjin realized this mistake, just as he realized the fish he had was too big for his line to hold. Elta turned to look at Gurjin, just as his line snapped and he fell, hard, into the opposite side on the canoe, nearly capsizing it. Elta was catapulted out of the canoe and into the river.

Gurjin started laughing and swung the canoe out of the way so Elta wouldn't hit it if she came up flailing. Elta sank a little, before realizing what had happened, she started thrashing, unable to swim. She surfaced, managing to gasp and flailed before going under again. Gurjin realized what was happening and reached for her when she came up again. He hauled her into the canoe and held her as she choked and gasped for air.

"Let's go to the island and set up a fire." Gurjin suggested gently, as Elta shivered and nodded. Gurjin hauled the canoe onto the beach and helped Elta out. After setting a small fire, Gurjin took off his shirt and held it out to Elta. Elta momentarily forgot what had happened as she was transfixed by the sight of the larger gelfling's muscular chest and arms. Then realized he was now half undressed.

"You shouldn't stay in those wet clothes. You can wear my shirt till they dry." Gurjin explained, Elta took his shirt and looked at him, "Oh, I'll go get the basket. You get changed" Gurjin turned and kept his back to Elta as much as possible. He grabbed the basket, and dug through it to find the sweets and took them back to Elta.

"It's nearly impossible for a Drenchen to drown. Even newborns can use their gills. We often forget that other clans can't breathe underwater, and that some have never learned to swim." Gurjin explained as he sat down next to Elta.

"I've never been very fond of water, beyond drinking it, or taking a bath in it." Elta muttered, pulling the collar of Gurjin's shirt up, trying to keep it from falling off her shoulders. Gurjin chuckled.

"I can teach you how to swim." Gurjin offered.

"I don't care to learn. I'll be leaving with a caravan once Maudra Laesid decides I'm no longer useful in the kitchens." Elta said, shivering a little, and huddling into the over large shirt a little more. If she stood, it would be long enough to serve as a full tunic on her. Gurjin was large, even by Drenchen standards. It was also indecently low cut, for a female to wear. Gurjin handed her a cup of cold ta.

"It would be better hot, but we don't have a pot." Elta said, looking into the cup, but drinking it anyway. "It's still good though." she admitted.

"I should be drinking it too, but you dropped mine in the river." Gurjin said with a grin, Elta choked a little.

"Your medicine was in the ta?" she asked appalled.

"Mother believes it to be one of the best ways to take medicine." Gurjin said with a shrug, "And now I don't have to take it." he added happily.

"You'll drink the rest of this, if I have to pour it down your throat, through your nose." Elta snapped, shoving the half full cup at Gurjin. "Maudra Laesid said the medicine was very important. You have to take it." Gurjin stood up.

"Make me." Gurjin said, leaning over Elta, and grinning at her. She scowled at him for a moment, then hooked her foot around his ankle and pulled his foot out from under him. Gurjin simply shifted his weight to his other foot and let Elta fall backwards with a yelp and spilling the ta on the ground while he laughed. "I'm still trained in combat. I was a castle guard." His head snapped back as Elta's cup bounced off his forehead. He considered the sight pain for a moment, then fell to his knees, laughing heartily. Elta couldn't help herself, she started laughing too.

After enjoying a cold meal, and her clothing mostly dried, Elta and Gurgin returned to the fishing docks. Just as he disembarked, Gurjin heard Elta shriek as she fell into the water. It was only knee deep, but he still turned and picked her up.

"Maybe you should learn to swim." Gurjin chuckled, as Elta glared at him, swung out of his arms and stalked away. "It wasn't on purpose!" Gurjin shouted, only to receive another glare as Elta disappeared from view.

Maudra Laesid passed Elta as she headed towards the docs, she was about to call out to Elta, but the look on her face stopped Laesid.

"Gurjin, what happened?" Laesid asked as he hurried after Elta.

"She was getting out of the canoe as I was. She fell in the water. It was an accident." Gurjin explained. "I know she can't swim. She fell in earlier today, I had to pull her out then as well."

"Did you at least take your medicine?" Laesid asked with a cringe.

"All the ta was spilled." Gurjin said, grinning like a cheeky childling.

"It wasn't in the ta, Gurjin." Laesid said, "I raised you, I know you think you know all my ways to get a childling to take his medicine. But I have a few tricks up my sleeves yet."

"But mother!" Gurjin whined and received a light smack on his shoulder. "We ate the rolls, and the soup, and all the sweets." he said with a pout.

"Good, now you may go and think up a suitable apology for Elta. She only just got those clothes last night. I believe she was quite overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness shown to her." Laesid pointed out.

"She wants to leave with a caravan." Gurjin said.

"I know. But she is still useful here." Laesid said and gave Gurjin a shove. "Now go on. You have hurt feelings to mend."

"Yes mother." Gurjin said, and went off to the village.


	5. Girl Talk

"Elta, are you here?" Naia called. "My brother asked me to make sure you were alright." she added after knocking on the door to Elta's cottage and entering when there was no answer.

"I'm fine, just soaked to the bone and cold." Elta said, coming out of her little bedroom.

"Do you want to come to the baths with me? We can use my family's reserved pool. Only the family and close friends of the Maudra are allowed to reserve a private pool." Naia suggested with a sly grin.

"Who else is going to be there?" asked Elta as she gathered her bathing bucket, a hot bath sounded like just the thing to take away the chill.

"Kylan and Amri. Gurjin if he feels like it. Though he prefers to have his wash in the morning." Naia said with a shrug. "Did you want to invite anyone?"

"I don't think I know anyone quite well enough to have a bath with them. I've only just met you this morning." Elta pointed out, Naia flung her arm around Elta's shoulders and marched her out the door.

"And we're already good friends. Let's go." Naia said as she all but dragged Elta to the hot springs just beyond the drip line of the Great Smerth.

"I told the boys to come a little later, so that we could get settled in the bath first. It's not uncommon for friends to share the baths, so long as the girls are given time to get comfortable." Naia explained. "And the water is murky and dark in these pools, so there's nothing shown for prying eyes." she added, gelfling from other clans, like the Vapra, were particular about their personal privacy.

Naia thought it was pointless. Bathing together kept people safe, especially if an elder or a childling fell in the bath. She and Elta disrobed, and sat near the pool to begin washing.

"I used to bathe with my sister, but on the journey here, it was just me and Elder Fodon, and the childlings. We couldn't leave them unattended, so we took turns with everything." Elta said, Naia was paying strict attention. Her mother had said it was like pulling fizzgig teeth trying to get anything more out of Elta about the razing of her village and the journey to Sog.

"Would you tell me more about your travels here?" Naia asked gently.

"What's to tell? We walked a lot, ran a lot, slept on the ground, ate what we could find, drank what little water we could find. Avoided anything that looked threatening. And ended up here in the Swamp of Sog." Elta said, as she poured water over her head and began washing.

"For starters, once you stopped being afraid…" Naia began, trying to get more detail out of Elta.

"We never stopped being afraid." Elta said coldly, looking into her empty bucket. "As soon as we woke up that day, everything became something to fear." she dipped her bucket into the water and rinsed the soaproot from her hair. Naia opened her mouth to speak, but she didn't have the words to counter Elta's statement.

Elta swept her long, black hair into a knot on her head to keep it from dangling into the water. She had learned that the hot springs turned hair slightly green if it soaked in the water for very long. She had found that plain vinegar, made from a flowering trees' sap that grew almost everywhere on Thra. The flowers had heady fragrance and were lovely to look at, so the tree was cultivated for aesthetic value and usefulness.

Naia finished her own washing up and climbed into the pool alongside Elta, and looked at her.

"It seems like a nightmare, one we just can't seem to wake up from." Naia said softly, Elta snorted quietly, disgusted.

"I understand more than you know, and I haven't even been in battle." Elta said, sighing. "Although, a hot bath can make almost anything better." She added with an awkward smile.

Kylan and Amri soon arrived and the bath was enjoyed. A minor splash fight took place between Naia and Amri, before she simply threw him into the deeper water, and laughed when he came up sputtering. Elta excused herself soon after, not comfortable with water after her brief brush with drowning that day, or the humiliating splashdown when she tried to get out of the canoe at the same time as Gurjin.

A short one this time. Please Review


	6. Old Friends

Gurjin returned home for the night to find a message from Rian on his bed.

'Bold Gurjin, I hope you are doing well. I am as well as can be expected, travel is hard on one person. I may have finally found Deet's trail, the Darkening's effect lifted almost a week ago, so she may have learned how to control it, just a little. I hope she is well. These past unum, I have felt the loss of Mira easing. As much as I miss her, I fear the loss of Deet even more. I am confused and angry now with how fickle I have become. Some words of wisdom from my old friend would be welcome. Your good friend, Rian [the brave]'

Gurjin smiled at how Rian had signed the letter. He had clearly forgotten and used another pen to sign 'the brave' before sending the letter off. Gurjn thought for a few moments then went to his mother's study to compose his reply.

"Brave Rian, I am doing quite well. I have been asked to remain in Sog by my Maudra, and you know that means my mother said I'm grounded and can't go out at all. She has even assigned a Spriton girl to stay with me during the day whenever I go out fishing and gathering. Her village was sacked nearly an unum ago, up near the Dousan border. She and six others were all that was left of the village. She's staying in Sog until all the able adults have to leave.

You knew Mira very well. She would tell you not to lock your heart away and not to fear new feelings for another. You are not fickle, you are my friend who loves adventure, change is the spice you crave in your life. Find Deet and bring her to Sog, if Naia has returned by then, she'll do what she can to help. If not, we can always take Deet to Mother Aughra.

Take care of yourself and Deet when you find her. She'll need all she can get.

Your oldest friend Bold Gurjin'

A simple chapter this time. Please Review


	7. Soap Roots

Gurjin walked to the little cottage Elta called home and knocked loudly on the door.

"Come on Elta! I know you're there. Let's go!" he called loudly, Elta opened the door and glared at him, he gave her a brilliant smile.

"None of the suns are up, why are you?" growled Elta, she did not appreciate the early call to wake up.

"We're going to go gather soaproot, and sweetgrass." Gurjin said brightly, holding out a basket to Elta. She considered it a moment then shut her door. Gurjin's smile dimmed, then reappeared when Elta came out, dressed in her work clothes and took the basket from Gurjin.

"Off we hop." Gurjin said, leading the way out to the fields of greens. He also carried the basket containing their lunch and Elta's breakfast. He handed her a couple of sweet rolls, when he heard her stomach growl.

"How far are we going to walk?" Elta aked, they had reached the end of the greens that were cultivated. "We're running out of greens to pick."

"My grandfather, when he was young, would pollinate plants with other plants, as a hobby. These plants weren't cultivated, and grew wild. He told my mother, and she told my sisters' and I where to find them. This is for my family's use. And you since you're helping me pick." Gurjin explained, he set his basket down and looked around. "Although, you may be doing a lot of picking by yourself. We aren't under the drip line anymore and beasts like to roam close to this point."

"What's a day without a chance of death?" Elta said with a lot of irony, Gurjin snorted laughing at her tone. They got to work, picking short yellow green sweetgrass, used for scenting the saponin rich liquid pressed out of the bulbous soaproot tubers that they dug out of the ground. It took most of the day, but they managed to fill the two baskets they had brought with them. Gurjin finally looked up and noticed the suns placements in the sky.

"Are you ready to eat?" Gurjin called to Elta, she had wandered a was off looking for sweetgrass. "Elta?" he called again, a tiny bit of concern wiggling in his chest when she didn't answer right away.

"I'm starving." Elta said, causing Gurjin to bellow and jump away from her in surprise.

"Oh very funny. Terrify the invalid." Gurjin complained good naturedly as Elta snickered at him. "How did you do that?" he asked with interest.

"There's little to no cover on the plains. Game can see you coming from miles away." Elta said, setting her basket down. "If you can't use a bow, you have to learn to stalk the game that can outrun you. I learned enough to keep us fed on the way here."

Gurjin used some of their water to wet a napkin and washed off as much dirt as he could. He hadn't planned this as well as he thought, but Elta didn't say anything as she did the same.

They ate in silence, enjoying the food, even though it was, once again, cold.

"Do the kitchen workers mind making up lunch baskets everyday?" Elta asked after they finished.

"They do it for the fishing teams, and many of the gathering crews. This is just one basket for two gelflings. It's not a burden." Gurjin assured her.

"When do they find the time. I never saw any baskets." Elta said.

"You've worked in the kitchens, during the day. There's a crew that goes in at midnight and makes the meals, the crews all take on the boats or wagons with them. Many of those gelflings have families who'll make them a small lunch sack, but since the price for the lunches is taken out of their pay, they usually prefer to eat the lunch given to them." Gurjin explained, "Naia and I served on all the shifts for nearly every job. Mother and Father thought it was a good idea for both of us to learn what others did. Especially since Naia is to be Maudra, and I'm supposed to be on her council." Gurjin added when Elta gave him a questioning look. They fell into silence again and simply sat enjoying the warmer weather.

Monsoon season would arrive in an unum or so. Rain non stop for weeks on end, filling the bog with fresh water and revitalizing life in the Swamp of Sog. The afternoon progressed slowly, Gurjin entertaining Elta with more stories, this time from his childhood. Adventures with his father on the fishing boats, seeing the fish farms that kept hunger away during winter or lean times. Following elders as their page, learning at his mother's elbow, reading and writing, mostly how to spell out swear words in Naia's books, and forging notes for sweets in his mother's hand writing.

Elta recounted a few of her own stories growing up on a grain farm. The tall storage towers, learning to fly by jumping off them with her mother and sister. Running off to hide in the small thickets of trees, picking berries for jams and jellies that went well on toasted bread. The suns were almost set by the time they returned with the baskets of soaproot and sweetgrass.

Most families had their own ots for boiling out the sweetgrass oil, but all the soaproot went to the main presses to be pressed.

Soaproot was easy to get and plentiful, so anyone could help themselves to what had been produced. Scenting it was a family secret each family had. Even the Dousan had plentiful soaproot, and they used powdered spices and oils that made the skin warm and thoughts become hazy when the soaproot was used. Drenchen soap was lighter and softer, making one think of flowers and rain, Sifan was coarse and salty, it left the skin tingling and cool. Vapran soap smelled like frost, while Stonewood soaproot brought leather and smoke to mind when it was used.

The Spriton soap was strong and harsh, made for those who worked with beasts of burden, and to them, what was good for the outside of a strider, was good for the outside of a Gelfling, only a few families used scenting oil in their soaps, mostly those who had more females than males and the votes cast in only one direction favoured by the females.

Gurjin walked Elta back to her cottage and suddenly had no idea what he was doing. He did like to flirt with females, but he now felt awkward. He wasn't the same now as he was when he had first left for guard duty at the Crystal Castle. So much had changed, and he also.

"So, err, tomorrow then? You can choose what we do, if you want, that is." Gurjin suggested, wincing at how he sounded like a lad just come of age and noticing females for the first time.

"I was thinking of getting some embroidery done. I don't think you'd enjoy sitting here in the cabin all day long, not doing anything." Elta said, sitting on the small step, Gurjinsat next to her.

"That does not sound like fun to me." Gurjin said, leaning back on his elbows. "How about this, we take a canoe and go up the river this time. You bring your sewing. Sunlight is better than candle light for all that anyway. We'll take a basket lunch again, and just paddle around."

"That does sound better than being cooped up in my cottage." Elta said, as she considered Gurjin's idea. "But no more dips in the drink for me." she said with a grin at Gurjin, he laughed.

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	8. Pot of Honey

Elta was waiting at the docks when Gurjin showed up. He led her away from the canoes to a slightly larger, more complex looking boat. It had a sail and two canoes.

"This is a catamaran. It's harder to tip over and fall out of." Gurjin explained, as Elta rolled her eyes, but grinned despite her aversion to the water. "It usually takes two to sail it. I'll need your help, since we're going against the current. The sail does most of the work, but we have to move the sail and adjust for when the wind shifts."

An hour later, they were upstream, thanks to a good breeze and Gurjin giving up teaching Elta anything about ropes, sails, and the terms the Drenchen used for the parts of the small craft.

"You might be hopeless at learning how to sail." Gurjin said chuckling at Elta as she pouted."Maybe some toy boats in the bath are more your level." Elta snorted in mirth, making Gurjin grin at her.

"There's an island up ahead, do you want to land?" Gurjin called to Elta as he made to turn the little boat. Elta nodded to him and crouched down so the jib could swing over her head and not take her with it. The sail billowed for a moment and then grew taut, as it caught the breeze and the boat began to turn. It soon dredged up the low mossy incline of the bog island and both Gurjin and Elta pulled the catamaran up a little further so it wouldn't get caught in the current.

"I brought some books,since I have my embroidery, but I wasn't sure what you would like. This one recounts Jarra-Jen's adventures, but it's not childish. This one is much the same, but not about Jarra-Jen." Elta said, as she pulled out a few small books, leaving one in her basket after catching sight of it.

"What about that one?" Gurjin asked, he had seen the inside of Elta's ears turn pink when she had read the cover of that book.

"That book was given to me by your sister. It was given to her by another female. It's supposed to be romantic. But it really isn't." Elta said, shoving the book under her embroidery ring and smacking Gurjin's hand when he went to grab the book.

"It's worth a laugh, especially if it's as badly written as all Naia's other romantic stories are. I don't know why she reads them." Gurjin said, getting the book away from Elta.

"To distract herself from the usually clumsy attempts at courting young male gelfling think are smooth as an oil dipped hooyim." Elta said dryly, Gurjin fell on his side laughing, as Elta rolled her eyes skyward and picked up her frame to continue her work.

Gurjin read the book, snorting or outright guffawing as he went through the pages, it really was poorly written drivel, but it was entertaining. It took him some time, but he realized that Elta was gone. He sat up and looked around, her frame and basket were still here, she hadn't told him she was going to need privacy, she was simply gone. Just as he was working himself into a panic, he heard the flap of wings and looked upwards. Relief washed through him, She had gone for a short flight to stretch.

"Guess what I found?!" Elta said excitedly. "I found a buzzle tree! It looks like it hasn't ever been tapped! We have to go and get buckets and some others, it's a massive tree!"

"How much did you eat?" Gurjin laughed as she dropped into his arms, flinging her arms around his neck.

"Not much. I took my ta cup, so two or three cups, maybe." Elka said brightly, the buzzle honey stained her mouth and lips a dark purple, making her look unusually grim even though she was smiling brightly, and her green eyes were wide and sparkling.

"You saw a buzzle and chased it?" Gurjin asked impressed, buzzles were fast, and hard to see, being dark green and very small. Elta dropped from Gurjin's hold.

"I've always been a very fast flier. Come on, I'll show you where it is. I left strips of my sleeves and dress to keep track. I hope Maudra Laesid won't be too unhappy with me. She gave me this dress and said I was to take care of it." Elta continued to ramble as she gathered her basket and Gurjin took the lunch basket.

He used the small piece of wrapped charcoal and a scrap of old parchment to make a rough map as Elka led him to the buzzle tree. He was astounded at the size of it. It was full to bursting with buzzle honey, honey was dripping down the sides of the tree, catching small animals as it crystallized.

Gurjin emptied out all the ta in the large flask and filled it slowly with honey. One cup didn't hold much and Elta only returned after she dropped her cup into the tree when she tried to get a fourth cup to bring back to Gurjin as proof of what she had found. They went back to the village and soon a larger group was sent out to tap the tree.

Laesid was soon notified of the find and sought out Gurjin and Elta. She found them in the dining hall, Gurjin was laughing at Elta, who had her face on the table, as she drew nearer, Laesd could hear Elta mumbling something.

"That's what happens when you are greedy enough to drink down three whole cups of buzzle honey and not share. I only got a small taste when I licked my finger after filling the flask." Gurjin said, pretending to be slighted.

"If you want a matching headache, I'm sure one can be arranged." Elta grumbled, turning her head to glower at Gurjin, he only laughed at her.

"Too many sweets and not enough to eat?" Laesid asked with a chuckle, Elta groaned and turned her face back to the table.

"She found a huge buzzle tree upstream. Chased the buzzle herself." Gurjin praised.

"Yay me." Elta mumbled sarcastically, making both Laesid and Gurjin laugh.

"If there is enough, we may just have a feast." Laesid said indulgently.

All gelflings loved sweets, buzzle honey being one of the best naturally occurring sweets they had ever found. Trees with swarms were lovingly tended, and gelfling were known to cry in despair if the swarm left when a queen flew off for a new tree. Buzzles were very swift fliers, zipping from flower to flower almost too fast to see. Being able to chase a buzzle was a rare skill, usually only young girls were swift enough flyers to keep up with the buzzles. But Drenchen wings were more suited to swimming than flying now and chasing was a pastime that was dying out, now that gelfling grew sweetgrasses and honey weed, other sources of sweeteners.

"The tree is old and large. We think it has several swarms in it." Bellanji said as he sat next to Gurjin. "There were several trees nearby with smaller swarms in them. Your island is quite the find Gurjin." Gurjin smiled at his father's praise. Bellanji had come back ahead of the crew, he was the head of the Drenchen scouts and war chief.

"Elta found the original tree. She chased the buzzle." Gurjin said, Elta grumbled a little more, the sugar crash had caused the worst headache she had had in a long time.

"With that much honey, we can make a good sized batch of honey wine." Bellanji said, both Laesid and Gurjin brightened up even more.

"What's honey wine?" Elta asked,turning to look at Bellanji, he and Gurjin looked similar, and Elta privately though he was how Gurjin would look in his middle trines.

"Honey wine is brewed by mixing the buzzle honey with fermented berries. We drink it at festivals. A cask is often given to newly mated gelflings, they share a cup every night until the cask is empty. An old tradition,it's meant to sweeten the relationship." Laesid explained, "We've been using sweetgrass oil and honey weed for a few trines, but buzzle honey makes the best sweetener."

"We used buzzle honey to sweeten our jams and ate it on bread, fresh or toasted. We warmed it and drizzled it on fruit or glazed meat with it too." Elta said. "We didn't brew much of anything with sweeteners."

"The Spritons are rather austere in their day to day life." said Bellanji quietly

"No, just my village. We didn't have much in the way of trading or supplies, so we learned to do with what we had and what little we traded for. It was a Dousan matron who taught me embroidery and traded me the frame and my first skeins of threads. As soon as I proved proficient, I was expected to make more for trade and purchase. Everything had a purpose or a use. I don't know how many Loving scarves I embroidered." Elta explained, holding up her hands and showing some fading calluses.

Gurjin was about to ask what a Loving scarf was when the crew returned with the buzzle honey. A cheer went up, they had brought back massive buckets full of the dark purple honey. One of the crew was heard saying there was honey enough in the tree to last another ninet, and it was so old it was black with only a slight shimmer of purple to it. The swarm would live off the old honey, and continue to make more. To keep it from crystallizing, the honey had to be kept warm, so it was taken to the kitchens.

One bucket was kept out so Laesid could give small cups full to the clan as they came. It was an old tradition, a symbolic sharing of wealth and bounty, meant to encourage generosity between clan members. If childlings got more than one cup of honey, no one objected, the Drenchen loved their children, and were indulgent of harmless mischief such as begging the Maudra for a second tiny taste of honey. Laesid adored the childlings anyway, and allowed such behaviour. She handed what was left in the bucket to Elta, who handed it to the kitchen head, stating she didn't know what to do with so much honey. No one really noticed when Naia and Laesid vanished from the dining hall.

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	9. Preparations Begin

Elta was in her little cottage when someone knocked on her door.

"Naia? Is everything alright?" Elta asked, suddenly worried, Naia smiled broadly at her.

"Everything is fine. May I come in?" Naia asked, Elta nodded and stepped aside. "I brought ta to drink." Elta got some cups, most homes didn't have much in the way of a kitchen, just a pantry and some shelves. Drenchen houses didn't have fireplaces, unless you lived on the ground or in the Great Smerth itself and had a tiled fireplace and chimney that went out through the bark of the tree.

Naia fiddled with her cup, turning it and swirling her ta nervously.

"Are you sure everything is alright, Naia?" Elta asked, becoming nervous as Naia fidgeted.

"I don't have many close friends, and most of them are males. My sisters are doing what they can to help, but I need someone else to help." Naia began awkwardly.

"Help with what?" asked Elta, tilting her head slightly to her left, giving Naia the impression of a curious childling.

"Amri and I have spoken at length, and we have decided to become life mates." Naia said, Elta shrieked and threw her hands around Naia's neck in a hug, not noticing that she had flung her ta cup across the room. Naia started laughing with Elta. "Buzzle honey really energizes you, doesn't it?" she asked as Elta laughed nearly hysterically.

"I've had quite a lot today." Elta admitted. "What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to make my head cover." Naia said, Elta was still hanging around her neck, buzzle honey seemed to make her clingy as well as excitable.

"What kind of head cover?" Elta asked, finally letting Naia go.

"Well, I brought some fabric, but mother said you knew how to embroider. So I thought I'd ask you. It's like a Vapran veil, but with the clan symbols of those mating. So the Grottan clan symbol and the Drenchen symbol. My symbol has to go on my head, it's held on by a circlet, my mother is lending me hers." Naia explained and pulled a bolt of sheer fabric from her bag.

"I won't be able to embroider on that directly." Elta said, feeling the lightness of the fabric. "But I can make embroidery patches and sew them to this. But it won't last. You may be the only one to wear this." she added looking at Naia worriedly.

"That's fine. Every female has one made for her. We keep them and sew them into dresses. But our embroidery is heavy and clumsy. I saw some of yours when you left your basket out. It's so delicate and looks so different. Like a Gottan and a Drenchen becoming mates." Naia explained, with a wistful look at the fabric. Elta smiled and stood up.

"Let's get you measured and get some ideas on parchment." Elta said, Naia left several hours later, feeling much better about her decision. Elta had even gotten out her larger frame and sketched out the Drenchen clan symbol after making sure she had the sizing right as it would be on Naia' head and Amri's would be directly below it. She had also made sure, Naia's chosen fabric was strong enough to hold stitching and embroidery appliques. Naia had been impressed with Elta's headlong dive into a project that meant so much to Naia.

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	10. Eye Code

Gurjin sat in the dining hall, Kylan and Amri were with him, since Naia was surrounded by female gelflings all twittering about her upcoming mating ceremony. Elta was with her and looked a little strained. She had been working hard for a few weeks now, having underestimated the amount of work she would have on her hands when she agreed to embroider Naia's head covering. Suddenly every female needed a new piece embroidered, or old work tightened and freshened up.

Elta no longer lived in the little cottage on the ground. Laesid had found an unoccupied house higher up the great Smerth with room enough for her to have a work room and racks for larger works. The house and work space came with a price however. Elta's job now was to provide her work as payment for the little house and racks. It even had its own water closet and cistern. Elta was much more comfortable in the new cottage, and Naia, and Yupa had helped her clean it up and settle her belongings.

Gurgin drank his ale, thoughtfully, noticing Kylan had been distracted by a pretty face among the females.

"Do you like her?" Gurjin asked slyly, Kylan's ears reddened, a trait the Spritons seemed to share.

"Who? Elta? No." Kylan stammered out quickly, making Gurjin blink and look a little harder, Elta was looking over at them. But he couldn't tell if she was looking at Kylan or himself. "I mean, she's pretty and all, but she was using eye code and I was having trouble reading it with all the other girls in the way." Kylan continued.

"Eye code?" Amri asked. "What's that?"

"It's a series of signals Spritons use to speak to each other without transmitting their words for others to hear. It was originally used for the Arathim Wars to sneak up on the enemy, but now it's usually used by err lovers and those trying to escape a situation they don't like."

"How does she convey signals?" Gurjin asked curiously.

"An unbroken line of sight, ear placement and eyelid movement." Kylan said. "I think she wants to go outside and get away from all the others. She's not really comfortable in a big crowd, it seems." Gurjin grunted, drained his tankard and stood.

"Looks like we should mount a rescue. Amri, you say you want to spend some time with Naia, you haven't had much time with her in the past few days, Kylan, you stick with him and block anyone looking for Elta. I'll get her outdoors and away from everyone." Gurjin ordered, hauling the two lighter males to their feet.

"Wouldn't it be less obvious if Kylan got Elta to the door?" Amri asked dubiously, tugging his shirt back down to cover his abdomen.

"Probably, but they all know Elta is my assigned nurse, if she's seen leaving with me, they'll think nothing of it. If she's seen leaving with Kylan, she'll be hearing rumours by morning that they're going to be next under the arch." Gurjin explained, both Kylan and Amri put their ears back in surprise. Their rescue attempt went off without a hitch and Gurjin got Elta outside and away from the dining hall in moments.

"I was beginning to think Kylan wasn't able to understand eye code." Elta gasped as she leaned against a moor post, Gurjin had dragged her out to the fishing docks and away from the very jovial dinner going on.

"He couldn't really see you. He's not the tallest gelfling and even young Drenchen are tall." Gurjin explained. "I was getting jealous with the looks you were giving him. I didn't know what eye code was." Elta looked at him in surprise.

"Jealous?" Elta asked with a squeak, Gurjin's easy grin made her stomach knot.

"I think I may have feelings for you." Gurjin said, as Elta stared at him, dumbfounded. "Do you feel the same?" Elta shook her head.

"I..I..I don't know! I mean, perhaps, or..or… This is all very sudden and...and I don't know what to say or do! This isn't something I can answer right away." Elta stammered, completely off guard. Gurjin caught her by the shoulders and turned her towards him. "I can't answer your question, I don't have an answer to it." Elta said, looking at her feet.

"Could you feel the same for me?" Gurjin asked softly, Elta looked at him, his eyes were soft, easy to fall into and while he held her. She wasn't restrained. His grip was a steadying hold. He was certainly handsome, as kind and generous as anyone could wish for.

"In time? Easily." Elta admitted, with a slight smile.

"I'd like very much to kiss you. May I" Gurjin said quietly, his hands slipping from Elta's arms to her back, his nose gently rubbing hers. Elta let out a sigh.

"I'd like that too." Elta whispered, raising her chin. Gurjin's mouth closed over hers and he pulled her into an embrace, his arms around her shoulders, one hand slid through her hair to caress the back of her neck.

"There they are! Naia! You owe me a drink!" a triumphant voice shouted, making both Elta and Gurjin jump away from the other. Gurjin could only watch as Elta tumbled off the walkway and into the shallow water with an impressive splash. He did pull her back onto the dock, as the male ran off, still shouting for Naia.

"Well, that was impressive." Elta said, wringing water out of her skirt as she walked.

"Really?" Gurjin asked, very pleased with himself.

"Yes, I managed to go almost an entire unum without being dropped in the water." Elta drawled, to Gurjin's amusement. He walked her to her cabin, and got another kiss for the night before Elta told him to go.

He headed back to the party, where he was cheered on his entry.

"Are you going to be next under the arch, brother?" Naia called from across the hall.

"Probably not. Monsoon season is starting. We'll have too much of nothing to do while we're all trapped indoors!" Gurjin shouted back to cheerful disapproval. "Not everyone gets to be newlywed with a whole cask of honey wine to tide them over!" he added, Naia joined the groups' laughter, throwing her head back and leaning on poor Amri, who had gone red as a peach berry. Kylan was nowhere to be seen, Gurjin would later find out that he had been willingly led away by a group of males and females, and left alone with one of them.

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	11. Festive Plans

The days seemed to crawl, as Gurjin helped with the preparations for the upcoming mating ceremony. Naia would go under the arch first, then other promised couples would go, night after night for at least a week, there would be a newly mated couple. Gurjin was happy for his sister, but frustrated as well. All the duties he had now,and Elta's embroidery business kept taking away what little free time there was to be had.

He had been home for an unum, and most of that time had been spent with Elta on day trips, or doing small duties around the village with her. She had finally agreed to learn to swim, but Naia had taken that over, ever since Elta had admitted that most of the lessons were spent kissing in between half hearted attempts at teaching.

Gurjin looked up from the plank he was hammering into place to see Elta hurrying towards him, only to be called away just as she stepped onto the boardwalk leading towards him. She hesitated a moment, but the caller was an elder, so she went to be respectful. Gurjin grumbled under his breath, and went back to hammering planks, a little harder than necessary. A pair of bare feet came into view, only Drenchen would walk around without shoes. He looked up, it was the girl from the kitchen, Elta used to work with her.

"Hi Gurjin." Yupa said brightly, smiling at him, she was wearing some of Elta's embroidery patches on her little vest.

"Hello. Need something?" Gurjin asked, relaxing into a crouch. Yupa's smile faded slightly.

"I wanted to ask if you would be attending the First Night." Yupa said, picking at a braid, it reminded him of his younger sister's nervous habit when she was a childling.

"Of course." Gurjin said with a nod.

"Alone?" Yupa asked, looking away and turning pink. Gurjin started, then stood up, and patted Yupa's head, her face went blank in surprise at this.

"Probably not. But thanks for reminding me that I have to explain a couple things to Kylan and Amri." Gurjin said, and left the boardwalk to eventually find his friends, leaving Yupa seething at his treatment, patting her head was saying she was a child.

Gurjin was surprised and a little impressed that Kylan already knew about First Night traditions and had a different partner planned for at least three nights. When questioned, Kylan had immediately turned red and began stammering and stuttering.

"Who told you about the First Night." asked Gurjin with a broad grin at Kylan, he was so uptight, he often squeaked.

"I couldn't possibly tell you." Kylan said, scandalized. "A Spriton would never disgrace a partner…"

"Partner is she?" Gurjin asked, leaning on the table, as Kylan lost the ability to speak for a moment. His jaw worked, but no sound came out, and he looked around frantically.

"Elta! There's Elta, excuse me." Kylan shouted and ran off as Gurjin laughed at his retreating friend. He watched as Kylan spoke urgently to Elta for a moment, she grinned at him wickedly, and Kylan fled the dining hall altogether.

Elta looked around and saw Gurjin sitting alone, she made her way first to the food, and then over to him.

"Hello, stranger." Gurjin said.

"Have we met? You look familiar." Elta said sweetly, sitting next to him, as he chuckled.

"I had a thought." Gurjin began slowly.

"Alert the Maudra. Does it involve water?" Elta said with a glance at Gurjin, he shook his head and grinned.

"Only a little. Most of it would be on me, but your help would be appreciated." Gurjin said, Elta looked at him quizzically.

"I'll explain tomorrow. Get a basket from the kitchens and we'll take off all day." Gurjin said softly, leaning closer to Elta so only she could hear him. She stopped eating to give him a slightly wary look. "Nothing like that! Get your mind out of the trenches." he scolded teasingly.

"I have heard old stories about your days off. You'll understand if I believe at least some of them, since it was your sisters who told me those stories." Elta said with a smirk as Gurjin rolled his eyes.

"I won't lie, I was very interested in flirting and other activities that involve partners and privacy. But I think I've changed, grown up a little more." Gurjin said, Elta was quiet, he looked at her, she held up a meat and vegetable pie, with a bite missing from it.

"I haven't eaten since breakfast. I would like nothing more than to go away for a time. The stress of everything is wearing me down. I actually snapped at poor Yupa earlier." Elta explained. "I didn't know you before, so I only know you as you are. And I like you as you are."

"I'll meet you at my canoe tomorrow morning, before the suns rise. We'll need an early start to get away before anyone notices we're gone." Gurjin whispered in Elta's ear, he smirked when she shivered, he had figured out that her ears were very sensitive to touch. Even the feel of his breath would make her shiver, and avoid eye contact.

"I'll go to bed early, then." Elta said, a little breathless. She could feel Gurjn's self satisfied smirk. He knew the effect he had on her and was using it to torment her. Gurjin put his hand on her back, and leaned closer.

"I'd like to join you." whispered Gurjin, and received an elbow to his ribs. Elta hissed at his bold statement and pulled away from him.

He rubbed his bruised ribs, she had told him, in no uncertain terms, that he would not be invited into her bed so soon after declaring his feelings for her. He would have to wait till she was ready. "Just keeping the thought alive." Gurjin said with a weak grin, Elta glowered at him.

"You may not have changed as much as you think you have." Elta said pointedly. "I'm going to get more food. Do you want anything to eat?" she asked, standing.

"I'll come with you. I'm hungry too now." Gurjin said, neither noticed Laesid and Bellanji watching them from a balcony overhead.

"We may soon be turning him over to her." Bellanji remarked, making Laesid chuckle. "He follows her like a chick following its' mother."

"We will be down one child in a weeks' time. Don't rush the others' out the door just yet." Laesid said plaintively, she and Bellanji started laughing.

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	12. Moments Alone

Gurjin hurried to Elta's cabin, she hadn't shown up as she had promised, and the first sun was about to rise. He knocked on her door urgently, then tried it. She hadn't locked it and he entered, calling her name softly. He looked around the main room,the large frames leant against the walls, covering the windows that let in the sunlight from the east and west. Elta had put a dark fabric in the frames to block out the morning suns light, she slept later now that she was able to set her own hours.

A few more steps took him to the door to her bedroom, and he peeked inside after knocking softly. Her bed was set into the wall, like all Drenchen beds, with a heavy curtain to close it off from prying eyes. Her cabin had two bed rooms, a setting room, where she worked and the small water closet. There were two bed alcoves in each room, being only her in the cabin, she only used one, and used the others as cabinetry for her newly acquired clothing and fabrics.

Gurjin walked over to Elta, still asleep and huddled under a mound of blankets. He stroked her exposed cheek and kissed her forehead.

"Elta, we need to go." Gurjin said quietly, Elta's eyes fluttered open after a moment and she looked at him with sleepy eyes. "You make it difficult to keep away from you." Gurjin said with a smile, Elta smiled and wrinkled her nose as he rubbed his against hers. Elta freed an arm and managed to hook her hand on Gurjin's head, keeping him close and nuzzling her neck now. She kissed his forehead and made to sit up. Gurjin pulled her up to a sitting position.

"I didn't mean to oversleep." Elta said with a yawn and stretching her arms, her night shirts sleeves fell down her arms. The wide neck slid off her shoulder, and Gurjin was a little distracted by the sight of her collar bone. "I need to get dressed."

"No you don't. I could get undressed and join you." Gurjin said, then realized what he said. "I didn't mean to say that out loud." he said quickly, then left the room. Elta shook her head and climbed out of bed. He did make it difficult to refuse his advances.

They had to dodge early rising gelflings asking them where they were headed. Elta had brought her sewing basket, and Gurjin had their lunch. They jumped into his canoe, only to hear Bellanji calling for Gurjin as they paddled away to Buzzle Island. Gurjin didn't look back, that would imply that he had heard his father calling him, it was harder for Elta to not look back, but she kept her eyes on Gurjin as he paddled hard against the current and gave her a wild grin as Bellanji's voice faded.

"He's going to be so angry with me when we get back." Gurjin laughed as the island came into view. They pulled the canoe up out of the water and Gurjin went hunting for firewood. Elta cleared a fire ring that had been left from the crew that had tapped her buzzle tree, and pulled out her basket to continue working on her gift for Naia and Amri. She had finished the head cover just a few days before and her orders for the festival were done. She only had presentation blankets for a couple of pregnant females to embroider and that was easy work.

Gurjin came back and set the wood down. He had brought his own busy work to do, he set the fire and put a cauldron over the fire after filling it with water. Elta looked up curiously as he added pure soaproot to the water, it wouldn't lather with so little water and he had emptied a months worth of soaproot into the cauldron. She looked at Gurjin, then gasped as she saw him unwinding his braids and combing the now loose hair.

"Gurjin! What are you doing?" Elta cried in shock. Braids and locks were important to all Gelflings and to remove them was serious. She dropped her frame and ran over to Gurjin, to flutter nervously as he smiled at her.

"Every couple trine, I take my braids and locks out to wash my hair and brush out the loose hair. It takes a long time and my arms get tired." Gurjin explained as he finished unbraiding his hair and running a metal comb through the long green and brown strands. He braided these together, looking odd with hair from all over his head pulled into a side braid, Elta chuckled.

"You said you could use my help, with what?" Elta asked, looking into the cauldron, the mix was bubbling.

"Take that away from the heat, it only needs to be warm, not hot." Gurjin said, as he took off his shirt, and enjoyed Elta's momentary stare, the sight of his bare chest always made her stare. Gurgin spread an oil cloth on the ground and draped a drying cloth around his shoulders. "I'll need you to help unwind my locks after they soak in soaproot. It takes a while and we have to work the mix in while it's warm to coat all my hair." he explained as he placed a basin on the oil cloth.

He tipped some of the mix into the basin and put the cauldron back on the fire to warm up. Elta used a cup to work at the back of his head and would occasionally ask if she was doing it right. It took nearly an hour to soak his hair to his satisfaction, and then they waited for it to work, adding warm mix to keep his locks warmed. Gurjin pulled out a pair of metal sticks, and handed one to Elta. She watched as he worked the stick through the bottom of a lock and began to slowly work his way through the twisted knots.

Elta followed his example and picked a small lock to work on. She sat at Gurjin's right knee, working on a lock just near his ear. Gurjin finished unpicking his lock, and put his arm around Elta's waist, slowly drawing her into his lap. She was smiling as she kept working, even though she was half sitting on Gurjin's leg and he was now trying to pull her into a hug, in order to get some affection from her. She held out, trying to finish the last knot, before he started using his greater strength.

"Just a little more, I'm almost done." Elta said placatingly, Gurjin grumbled, pulling Elta so close that his face was pressed to her chest and he was able to kiss her neck without having to crane his neck overmuch. Elta moaned lightly, as Gurjin's lips found a sensitive spot and he gently nipped the spot. "I'm going to stab you with this, and it'll be entirely your fault." Elta murmured, as her hands trembled while Gurjin continued nibbling on the delicate skin under Elta's ear.

A light metallic clatter told him he now had all of Elta's attention, and she let him pull her into his lap to continue kissing her as her hand slid up to his ears and the other stroked his closed gills, the thin flesh was incredibly sensitive and prompted a reaction. Gurjin pulled away from Elta, and stared at her, panting. She looked up at him, her eyes searching his.

"Do you know what the First Night ritual is?" Gurjin asked, taking a ragged breath, and trying to ignore the sound of disappointment Elta made when he picked up his stick to continue working on his hair.

"Several people have invited me to join them. But I don't know why." Elta said, looking for her stick, and finding it behind Gurjin. "Naia said I should ask you to join me, only she just laughed when I asked why." she said, beginning to work on another lock

"The first night of the monsoon season is a Holy night for us. As holy as it gets in Sog." Gurjin began, then hesitated.

"Does this have anything to do with why so many babies are born months after the monsoon ends?" Elta asked, Gurjin looked at her and was surprised to see a smirk on her face.

"Everything to do with it. First Night is a fertility ritual." Gurjin said bluntly, Elta froze for a moment.

"So all those people have been propositioning me?!" Elta said in a high pitched squeak, making Gurjin wince as she also pulled his hair. "Sorry. That's indecent! To ask a girl one doesn't even know to sleep with you."

"I had a girl ask me just yesterday to join her for First Night. And almost every day since the mating ceremony was announced." Gurjin pointed out. "It's common among the Drenchen to ask someone new to stay with them. Kylan has at least three partners lined up." Elta was shocked into laughing.

"Still, I'm not going to sleep with someone I've just met." Elta stated, pursing her lips primly.

"Would you go with someone you've known for a unum or so?" Gurjin asked, Elta's hands stilled then continued working. Gurjin bowed his head and went back to working on his locks.

"I'm fairly certain Amri already has a companion for First Night." Elta said, then fell back as Gurjin whipped around to grab her. She laughed and tried to crawl away from Gurjin, he grabbed her ankles and pinned her legs down while he caught her hands and pulled them over her head, covering her body with his to keep her from escaping.

"That was a terrible joke." Gurjin whispered as Elta continued to giggle.

"It was all I could think of." Elta cried as she laughed, Gurjin put his forehead on her chest and laughed along. "You said, someone I've known for an unum. All I could think of was Amri, and how Naia would have my ears if I asked him to join me on their mating night." Elta said through the case of hiccups she had given herself from laughing so hard. Gurjin was laughing hard at Elta while she hiccuped and laughed at the same time.

They wound down, though Elta still had the hiccups, until Gurjin got her a cup of ta. They finished unknotting Gurjin's locks, and Gurjin went to wash the soaproot out. Elta found herself staring as Gurjin stripped to his loinwrap and waded into the water. He had kept up with most of his training and was still very muscular from his time as a castle guard. Elta couldn't see how he had been weakened by the crystal.

Gurjin could see Elta staring at him, and made sure to move a little slower, making his muscles flex more. She was attracted to him, that much was obvious, he just wanted her to admit it to herself. Even Kylan was too reserved to admit attraction, or deeper feelings. Must be a Spriton thing to repress one's feelings in favour of remaining calm and level headed, Gurjin mused to himself as he dove under water.

He kept his gills closed, this soaproot mix would coat them and make it difficult to use them for days, he had learned this the hard way a few trines ago. He'd go fishing and come up light headed and gasping for air until the soaproot oil had finally washed away. Elta would keep him from making stupid mistakes like that, she had even wiped his neck and shoulders carefully with the drying cloth whenever she dripped the mix or let his hair touch his neck while untangling it.

Elta kept an eye on the water, Gurjin was enjoying his swim, diving and surfacing like a muski, he came back to the beach after nearly an hour, and dried off, wrapping his hair to keep it from dripping on his shirt and soaking the back. Elta was finishing the gift she was making for Naia and Amri when Gurjin sat down next to her and added more wood to the fire.

"Feeling better?" Elta asked not looking up as she tied off a thread.

"Cold water only does so much, when blood runs hot." Gurjin said with a wicked grin, Elta turned pink, to his amusement. "My head feels lighter now." he added, pulling the cloth off and running his fingers through his still slick hair.

"Probably cause all the blood fled from it." Elta muttered, then gasped at herself while Gurjin roared with laughter. "You are a terrible influence!" Elta cried in exasperation, making him laugh harder.

Gurjin handed her a comb, and she began to work out the tangles he had gotten while swimming, and braided his hair back to keep it from knotting again.

"Are you going to put braids and locks back in?" Elta asked, Gurjin started, he had started drifting off while Elta combed his hair. His scalp was sensitive and the sensation was very relaxing. Elta smiled, as he ran his hand over his hair.

"Eventually. I'll leave it loose for a few weeks. Any damage done to it would have to be repaired or grown out. I'll check with the apothecary to see what they have." Gurjin said, he laid down and put his head in Elta's lap.

She stroked his hair and forehead, easing Gurjin into falling asleep. Elta gently rubbed the protrusions on Gurjin's head, especially the large ones above his eyes, according to Naia, they were muscle over bone and helped to relax a Drenchen suffering headaches or stress. Elta picked up her frame and spent some time working on a new project. Gurjin woke a short time later and looked at her, she smiled down at him.

"Do you want to head back?" Gurjin asked, after they had eaten their lunch.

"We should. The longer we're gone, the more your father will be angry with you." Elta pointed out, Gurjin winced and chuckled uneasily. They packed up and paddled back to the village. The moment they pulled up the canoe. Bellanji appeared and dragged Gurjin off like a naughty childling. Elta waved to him as he followed his father, half bent over as Bellanji had him by the ear. Gurjin grinned at her and waved back, to the amusement of everyone who watched the spectacle.

"Here is your delinquent child." Bellanji said as he entered Laesid's study with Gurjin.

"We agreed that when he misbehaves, he's your child, dearest." Laesid said placidly." And when he manages to corrupt young gelfling maids, he is left to Thra for judgment." she added.

"We know about your change of heart towards Elta." said Bellanji

"It wasn't a secret, just not shouted all over the village." Gurjin said with an uncaring shrug. "Elta doesn't like a lot of attention."

"Explain last night then?" Laesid prompted.

"Naia sent her friends out looking for us and happened to catch us in the middle of our soft talk." Gurjin explained. "I have respected her wishes and have behaved mostly honourably."

Neither Bellanji nor Laesid looked convinced.

"You were seen leaving her cabin, this morning." Laesid stated.

"She was late to meeting me at the docks this morning. I went to wake her up." Gurjin said.

"You've come back with loose hair." Bellanji pointed out.

"I've put it off for too long. She helped me with it in exchange for a day away from the commotion." Gurjin scratched his scalp reflexively. "The locks were pulling too much." he added with a slight wince.

"You would understand that with all the time you spend together, we would think of things like a mating arch and grand childlings." Laesid said with a wicked grin, that faded when Gurjin smiled a little, looking slightly wistful. She looked at Bellanji, he shrugged.

"Not any time soon, ma. Elta isn't ready to join with me, in any sense." Gurjin said with a sigh.

"You may go, Gurjin." Laesid said, Gurjin left. "Do you think?" Laesid turned to Bellanji wide eyed.

"He may have finally grown up." Bellanji said, Laesid began giggling like a girl, while Bellanji chuckled. "Or may have just found a lassywings to keep company."

"She isn't a poor choice. They could always simply handfast." Laesid suggested, still chuckling. "That is how we wound up with the twins." she added as Bellanji chuckled.


	13. Troublesome

Elta was helping in the kitchens, fresh bread would be needed for the festivities, if only for the morning when all the adults would likely be too hung over to make anything other than toast and jam to eat. Yupa had been avoiding her and she didn't know why. Elta didn't have many close friends beyond Gurjin. Naia, Amri, and Kylan.

She was on good terms with many others, but none she considered more than acquaintances. So Yupa's coldness towards her was concerning. One of the other girls her age came over.

"Yupa is spreading rumours about you." said the female bluntly. "She's making you out to be a doxy." she added quietly and left, Elta watched her leave then turned to look at Yupa, who was giggling with a few females as they kneaded dough for bread.

Elta waited till Yupa was let off work, and hurried after her.

"Yupa?" Elta called, trying to sound happy and not let Yupa see her dismay.

"What do you want?" Yupa said archly. "I don't associate with people like you."

"What? So it's true then? You've been telling tales about me?" Elta asked quietly.

"Am I wrong?" Yupa demanded coldly. "You've been running off after the Maudra's son for an unum. And only yesterday, he came back with his hair brushed out."

"He wanted to wash it." Elta said weakly.

"Only his lifemate would be allowed to touch his hair. Only a Drenchen female knows what to do with a male's hair." Yupa snapped at Elta. "If it wasn't for your loose skirts, I'd be his First Night partner and he would mate with me, not a scrawny little Spriton like you." Yupa shouted, stomping her foot and turning to stalk away, only to stop short at the sight of Maudra Laesid.

"You have been spreading hurtful rumours, and attacking another with malice. The male in question makes his own choices, as do we all. You will be on night patrol for the next unum. Perhaps that will teach you to keep your vile mouth closed, and expand your horizons a little when you see them at dawn." Laesid ordered coldly, "Please have Captain Bellanji assign an older female as her mentor in the patrol." she said to a page, who nodded and ran to find Bellanji.

"But Maudra, First Night…" Yupa began plaintively

"Is for adults, not childlings who fly into a jealous rage at an innocent person simply trying to fit in. You should get some sleep now. You begin tonight." Laesid pointed out coolly. Yupa looked devastated and fled past Laesid and up to her family's cabin in the branches of the Smerth.


	14. Work Completed

Elta went back to the kitchen to continue with her assigned duties. She still didn't know quite what she had done to get on Yupa's bad side. To be accused of being a flirt and a light skirt were both humiliating to a Spriton female of age. Spriton's had their dalliances, but didn't flaunt them simply for the sake of attention.

Naia had poked her head in but didn't call Elta's attention, after seeing the down turn of her mouth. She got her questions answered by her sister Pemma, who had been in the kitchen for the whole debacle, had been the female to warn Elta about Yupa. She had even fetched her mother to the kitchen and was rewarded with Yupa hooking herself on her rod. Pemma had felt terrible and went to find Naia so she could check on her friend.

Naia left the kitchens and went looking for Gurjin. If anyone could put a smile on Elta's face, it was him. She found him with Bellanji, both helping to pull the wedding arch into position. It was undecorated, bog flowers with heady aromas, leafy ivy, and vines would be gathered in the next few days and not a bit of wood would be visible once the arch had been fully decorated.

After a few words Gurjin went to see Elta and found her halfway to her cabin. They walked together for some time, Gurjin entertaining Elta till she was giggling helplessly as his jokes and stories. She invited him into her cabin and showed him how she made ta without a fire. It was often too warm to light her little stove.

She had carried with her a large clear piece of quartz, one her mother had traded the Dousan for when she was young and newly wed. Elta had found the quartz lens surprisingly intact in the burned shell of her home and had refused to part with it all the way to Sog. Elta set up her ta pot close to the window and put the lens in a bracket set on the window frame. She tilted the bracket and Gurjin watched a small bright point of light travel across the floor and settle on the exposed water in the pot. He watched as a small wisp of steam began to curl upwards from the water.

"Elder Fodon, first objected to me wasting pack space with this. But the first time I lit the fire in the setting sunlight, he stopped objecting." Elta said, "It takes longer to warm up water, but it works when I'm not in a rush to have a hot drink. It helps aim light on my work too."

"We call them sunfinder stones." Gurjin said, avoiding interrupting the narrow beam as he walked over to Elta. "Naia told me what happened with Yupa."

"I don't really know what I did wrong." Elta said with a shrug.

"First Night can be highly coveted by the younger gelflings. I know I was very eager to be with a female of my choice for my first festival." Gurjin suggested. "She might think you've taken the male she wants." Elta's head came up and she gave him a surprised look.

"She wants you and she probably thinks I stole you from her." Elta said in realization.

"She's the same age as Pemma." Gurjin said with a lip curled in slight disgust. "I wouldn't touch a girl that young. She's only just come of age."

"You saying that, actually makes me feel a little better." Elta admitted quietly, as she fidgeted with the hem of her vest.

Gurjin pulled her into a kiss. Both forgot about the water being heated as they enjoyed a private moment. Gurjin's hands travelled down Elta's back. He stroked her bottom, making Elta jerk her hips forward in surprise and break the kiss.

"Too forward?" Gurjin asked breathlessly.

No, just caught me by surprise, is all." Elta said, panting as much as Gurjin was.

"I want so much to join with you on First Night." Gurjin said, pulling Elta into a hug, her ears turned red, as a part of him was pressing against her, and she could feel how hard he had become.

"I'm not sure I'd be able to wait another few nights." Elta said, opening Gurjin's shirt a little and stroking his chest. He growled at the sensation and picked Elta up, putting her legs around his waist and her back against the wall. Gurjin's hands ran up Elta's thighs, squeezing them gently, and making her squeak in pleasure. Elta's hands stroked his closed gills and she was nibbling his ears, until he started kissing her neck, making her throw her head back and let him do as he pleased.

Gurjin rocked his hips forward, making Elta gasp and push against him, trying to find more pleasure, even through their clothes. Gurjin managed to find a way under Elta's skirts, his right hand finding her loin wrap and tugging it loose, before he started trying to untie his belt and trousers. Elta pulled free of him and pushed him away.

"What…?" Gurjin croaked, disappointment on his face.

"I would prefer to do this on a bed." Elta said, pulling Gurjin along by his shirt, as he continued to fumble with his belt. He had succeeded in letting his trousers down and had Elta on the bed, her legs again around his waist, when a loud knock on her door stopped them. They froze for a moment, hoping the gelfling would leave, but their hopes were dashed. Another knock resounded through the cabin, killing Elta's ardor. Gurjin groaned in frustration.

"Stay here. I'll be back." Elta said, and kicked her loin wrap away, Gurjin grinned and leaned back on his elbows, letting Elta see every inch of his exposed body, she blushed and left the bed room.

"Maudra Laesid! Elta gasped when she opened her door. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting! I was...Busy." Elta said lamely, unable to think up an excuse.

"My son is capable of keeping anyone...busy." Laesid said with a smile as Elta covered her face in embarrassment. "I came for Naia's head cover. You've finished it?"

"Oh, ah yes. It's in here. Let me just fetch it." Elta said quickly, remembering Gurjin's state of arousal, and hoping to hurry Laesid out of her cabin. Elta pulled the basket down and pulled back the dust cover to check on the wrap. She took it out to Laesid and showed off her work. Laesid pursed her lips and took the length from Elta, gesturing to her to turn around, Laesid draped the cover on Elta's head to inspect the placement and work of the embroidery.

"It's lovely. You do such fine work. Naia will be proud to wear this." Laesid said in approval.

"She said you had a circlet to hold it in place, but I added some loops for combs in case the circlet doesn't fit." Elta said, turning the headpiece over and showing a few loops of embroidery thread. "Just string the comb teeth through these and fix the combs in her hair. It'll sit, so long as there isn't too strong a breeze."

"Very clever, thank you. I hope you'll be here for when Eliona and Pemma decide to go under the arch." Laesid said sincerely. "I also hope you'll drag Gurjin under it eventually as well." she added with a grin, and an accompanying scandalized shout of 'Mother!' from Gurjin, still hidden in Elta's room, he was able to hear them through the thin wooden walls.

Laesid laughed as she left Elta's cabin, her son thought he was clever enough to outwit his own mother. Elta had gone as red as her little vest and closed the door behind Laesid. Elta looked up at Gurjin came out of her room, looking very disgruntled.

"Well, that ruined the mood." Gurjin grumbled, only to have Elta fall apart laughing hysterically at his disgust.


	15. Revelations

Elta hurried to the bathing pools, Naia had called her to go from several walkways below. She had regularly joined Naia in the baths, but hadn't lately due to the preparations for the monsoon festival, and her own work with embroidering for half the village. Amri was already there and a very relaxed Kylan, who looked too tired to even raise a hand in greeting.

"His lassywings is demanding." Amri chuckled as Kylen snorted.

"You mean 'are demanding'" Kylan said, making Naia and Elta look at each other in surprise, as they washed up. Amri choked on his berry juice when Kylan revealed that piece of information.

"Don't spill! That juice will stain all of us orange." Naia protested, Amri knew the rules, food and drink were only allowed in the pools so long as nothing was spilled into the water.

Naia sat next to Amri, while Elta and Kylan discussed old Spriton traditions quietly, so as to not disturb their friends time together. Once the first wave of downpours ended, Naia, Kylan, and Amri would leave for the Dousan leg of the refugee evacuation.

"You know, by the time you return, there may be a few sets of your ears running about." Elta said, watching Kylan's ears go back.

"I haven't been asked to stay, nor has anyone asked me to be a father." Kylan said quietly.

"Thra's call is strong during this time. Some may not know to ask. Or won't ask. You'll have to speak to your bedmates." Naia said, "For the most part, we can control our fertility. But the season of plenty that is coming, along with First Night, a lot of females don't care that their control has slipped." she explained. Kylan went quiet, a sign that he was thinking.

"I'll speak to my bed mates." Kylan said quietly. "Growing without even one parent is hard."

The others collectively remembered that Kylan was an orphan, having lost his family to the Hunter, skekMal, who had eaten his parents like they were animals.

The boys left the bath first, then Elta and Naia left shortly afterwards.

"Did you want to come up and have some ta?" Elta asked as she and Naia started climbing upwards.

"Oh yes, please. You make good ta." Naia said, Elta grabbed a small torch and lit it from one of the lamps that lit the Smerth in rosy light. These little torches burned quickly, being made of apeknot nut fibres twisted together. They hurried to Elta's cabin and lit the little stove. Elta told Naia what her mother had done earlier that day.

"And I stood there, no underthings on, and Gurjin in my bed, and thinking we'd gotten away with being sneaky. Your mother says loud enough for him to hear that she wants me to drag him under the arch sooner or later." Elta said as Naia fell into hysterical laughter. "And then while I'm trying to slip through the floorboards, he shouts, 'Mother!' in an oh so scandalized tone, that she starts laughing. I wanted to die right then. Needless to say, nothing else happened." Elta said, laughing as well. They sat on piles of cushions, Elta hadn't wanted any of the swing seats the Drenchen favoured, she didn't like swaying as she sat unless it was a rocking chair.

They sat chatting for several hours, occasionally laughing at something, until Naia had to leave, her mother required her home at night now that she was promised to be wed. Amri and Kylan had both been moved to to the guest quarters, ostensibly to keep rumours down, but really to ease the strain on Laesid's household.

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	16. Soft Talk

Gurjin, Bellanji, Kylan,and Amri, along with a few other males that were going under the arch, left early the next morning. It was a test of sorts, a way to make sure the males looking to mate, were capable of hunting, or fishing. Gathering was easy, childlings could gather enough in a day to provide a full meal for a family of four, if the childlings weren't more interested in eating the berries and sweet greens themselves. Amri was a fine cook, if a bit eccentric to the Drenchen, his spice mixes were delicious.

Kylan was along to learn more from Bellanji, as he was leaving with Naia and Amri, some hunting experience would be invaluable. Especially if Naia became pregnant during the journey and became unable to hunt. However, the inclusion of several casks of Sog gin and Stonewood ale undermined the seriousness of the hunting trip. Kylan and Amri watched as several Drenchen set up a shelter in short order.

"We may be camping here tonight." Kylan remarked before being called to help dig a fire trench, as Amri was called by Gurjin.

"Let's get you cleaned up, before we're all too drunk to hold a blade." Bellanji said with a broad grin at Amri's sudden look of unease. "Relax, we'll get to hunting, but we have to make sure we're all done up neatly. Your hair is grown long on the shaved side."

"I can cut it." Amri said weakly, Drenchen weren't known for cutting their hair. "I can cut it straight." Bellanji said firmly, holding out a thin sharp blade. One of the gifts Gurjin had brought back during his time as a Crystal guard. Amri didn't have much choice but to sit and let Bellanji shave back the unum's worth of hair growth. Gurjin braided and knotted new locks for a couple of the young male gelfling, while older males and Kylan went for firewood. Gurjin and Amri ended up in the same fishing boat, while Kylan had become Bellanji's personal project. Gurjin's usually cheerful demeanor was muted, making Amri a little nervous.

"Are you alright, Gurjin?" Amri asked quietly, he checked his line, keeping an eye on Gurjin as he did so. Gurjin took a few moments to answer.

"I want to go on the journey with you and the others." Gurjin admitted. "But my mother, my Maudra, wants me to stay. And there's Elta to think of too." he added.

"Why not ask Elta to come with us? Your mother trusts her to take care of you, and only go as far as the Dousan Wellspring. You'd be gone, perhaps an unum." Amri suggested, Gurjin thought for a moment.

"Elta doesn't like camping." Gurjin said, slightly disappointed.

"She was unprepared and had dependants that couldn't hunt or gather reliably." Amri pointed out. "We'd be able to make it more comfortable and easier than her trip to Sog." Gurjin thought about this as he helped Amri with his line fishing.

Naia sat in the dining hall with most of the other females. Elta was nearby, handing out packets of food. Laesid had called them together, as it was time to gather flowers and ivy to decorate the arch. Naia had wanted to go on the hunting trip, but was denied, it was a rite for males, soon to mate, to prove they were good providers, especially important for when their mates were pregnant or incapable of providing for themselves. The females would also begin learning how to weave cloth and make clothes for their eventual children.

For Naia, she would also be advancing some of her Maudra training with learning how to soothe an infant's basic illnesses, since she had learned how to make her own bandages and cloth with her sisters. Laesid had foreseen that at least one of her children would take a mate early in their life. Most females taught their children this and the communal teaching was simply to help the newlyweds form friendships and connections. Elta was included at Laesid's insistence. As she and Gurjin were close.

Laesid had expectations of Elta, and fully expected Gurjin to at least handfast with her, during the mating ceremony. It would give more weight to Naia's mating if a male felt so moved as to ask a female to handfast with him during the ceremony. Even more if he were to beg her to be his right then and both went under the arch. But Laesid didn't believe neither Gurjin nor Elta would agree to that after having been together for so short a time. Gurjin had even admitted that they hadn't even dreamfasted yet, which was very unusual for a couple. Even those just starting out would dreamfast for a short time. Yet Elta had refused such intimacy time and again.

Yupa had been let off her patrol duty to participate in the gathering. She kept away from both Naia and Elta, casting glares at both of them. Pemma was tasked to keep an ear on her in case she started spreading stories again. During the gathering, however, both Pemma and their groups attending matron lost sight of Yupa for several hours. She turned up, with a pout on her face, heading towards the village. Since her gathering net was full of flowers, no one thought anything of her disappearance.

Kylan and Gurjin had been sent back to the village with the fish that had been caught, and told to put it in the salt barrels. Since neither had plans to go under the arch, Bellanji had sent them back, laughingly telling them that perhaps next trine, they could stay. After they finished salting the fish, Kylan went off in search of the few females he had shared a bed with. He had to make sure he was able to leave Sog without leaving unknown connections. Gurjin went in search of Elta, but got caught by Laesid first.

"I want to go to the Dousan. I won't go any further and I will return." Gurjin said quickly. "Amri, Kylan, and Naia aren't trained in combat, they only know what they've learned in the past six unum. I'm stronger now, the weakness is all but gone." he added, standing to his full height, as he learned during guard training.

"Convince Elta to go with you. After you convince her to handfast with you." Laesid said. "You may go, only if she agrees to go as well." Gurjin deflated a little, then remembered what Amri had said to him. He smiled broadly and hugged Laesid, kissed her cheek and ran out of her study. Gurjin found her with Naia's group weaving a massive blanket of flowers to be hung over the arch.

"Elta! I need to speak with you." Gurjin called, afraid to get closer for all the flowers he might step on and crush. He did not fancy a trip into the bog to find flowers. Most of the females smiled and giggled as Elta picked a path over to him.

"We're very busy, Gurjin, what is it?!" Elta shrieked as Gurjin grabbed her hand and took off at a run. She was nearly off her feet trying to keep up with Gurjin, his longer strides covering more distance than her, leaving her to scramble to keep up. He finally slowed down, and Elta managed to get her feet under her as he led her up to her cabin.

"What is the hurry?" Elta asked breathlessly, Gurjin grinned at her, making her heart flutter slightly. "Don't try to dazzle me. You've just dragged me away from a task, and dragged me halfway to my cabin, with not a word beyond you need to talk to me." she scolded still trying to catch her breath.

"I'm going with Naia when she leaves." Gurjin said, Elta stopped in her tracks. "To the Dousan. I promised my mother that I wouldn't go any further and would return after Naia and Amri left from the connection there." he explained as he opened the cabin door. Elta entered with him.

"I don't understand." Elta said quietly, she sat heavily.

"I'm getting cabin fever. I'm accustomed to moving and doing more than working in the village. I need to do more." Gurjin explained, sitting next to Elta on her seating pillows. "I want you to come with me, and handfast with me." he added softly. Elta gasped and leapt to her feet.

"Gurjin!" Elta began, Gurjin got up as well.

"It won't be like your journey here. We can take care of ourselves. We can help each other. Your, and Kylan's knowledge of the Plains is better than ours and Amri's. You'll be safe with me along. I'm a trained warrior." Gurjin explained, reasonably.

"It's not the trip. You haven't brought up handfasting before. We haven't even spoken of anything beyond First Night." Elta protested, she backed away from Gurjin and tried to busy her hands by lighting her stove to make ta.

"I only just thought of it." Gurjin said, a small lie. Elta may not agree if she thought Laesid had a hand in this. He hugged Elta from behind. "It's only a promise to consider mating later on. We can break a handfast more easily than a mating." "What if there are childlings?" Elta asked quietly.

"Do you want my childlings?" Gurjin asked with a wicked grin, and got a prod in the stomach by Elta's elbow. "I wouldn't mind helping you make them. Any time you want to try." he added with a husky chuckle, but he let her go and sat down again.

"You're incorrigible." Elta said, rolling her eyes skyward. "I'll consider it."

"Ma mentioned that it's very lucky to have a handfasting happen during a mating ceremony." Gurjin said as Elta handed him a cup of hot ta, her hand jerked in surprise, sloshing some of the ta onto Gurjin's leg. "I should really stop telling you things when you are holding things that will injure me." he muttered, peeling his now wet pants away from his leg.

"You don't have any sense for self preservation." Elta muttered as she sipped her ta. Gurjin grumbled as he took his trousers off, Elta rubbed her temple, when he suddenly turned and grinned at her. "No, I do not. Set your trousers on the sill, the breeze will dry them."

"Awww, not even a kiss or two?" Gurjin whined, doing as Elta suggested.

"And your mother thinks you're still weak?" Elta snorted,

"Will you dreamfast with me?" Gurjin asked, settling down with his head in Elta's lap. He looked up at her, and noticed that she had paled almost to an ashen tone. Gurjin sat up, concern on his face, Elta had started trembling.

"I haven't dream fasted with anyone in a very long time." Elta whispered, looking at her hands.

"It's only been a few unum since your village…" Gurjin began

"It's been six trine since I last dreamfasted willingly." Elta said softly, wringing her hands. Gurjin stared at her in dismay.

"Why not? I mean, what happened that you wouldn't dreamfast with anyone? Not your parents or your sister? Not even your friends?" Gurjin asked, to refuse to dreamfast was to admit to having an illness of the mind.

"I don't want to talk about it. Please, it was terrible enough when it was happening." Elta said, sounding so distraught, Gurjin pulled her into a hug. She stayed rigid for a few moments, then relaxed into his arms.

"Will you tell me when you can?" Gurjin asked quietly. "Pain shared is pain halved."

"Kylan is supposed to be the wise one." Elta mumbled, rubbing a sleeve over her eyes. "I suppose I'll have to, since I'd like you to join me for First Night." Gurjin looked at her blankly for a moment then smiled brilliantly at her and rubbed her nose with his.

"It can wait until after, if you want." Gurjin offered, Elta smiled at him.

"Alright. But I'm going to warn you, it may change your perception of me." Elta said.

"You didn't kill anyone, did you?" Gurjn asked, Elta smacked him with a floor pillow.

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	17. Dreamfast

Today was the last day before the festivities truly got under way. Final preparations were made, clothing was washed and hung to dry in time for wearing. Soups, stews, baked goods, cold foods, all were being made now to be ready in time for the great feast after the mating ceremony at dusk. Clouds rolled in as the decorations were finished, but the storm didn't break. The clouds remained high throughout the day and into the night, occasional flashes of chain lightning tearing the sky to ribbons after dark.

Elta and many other females were helping with the last of the kitchen work. There would be plenty of food available for the taking the next day that the kitchen would not be open at all until the second night of the festival. Only skeleton crews would be working on the fishing boats, so no large force was needed to man the kitchens.

Gurjin turned up at Elta's door with a bag and a rather put out expression on his face.

"I have nowhere else to go. May I stay here in the other room?" Gurjin asked almost embarrassed. Elta let him in.

"What do you mean, nowhere else to go?" Elta asked in confusion. Gurjin had many good friends in Sog, there were also the guest quarters, and her old cottage on the ground, that all stood mostly empty.

"Mother has sent all the males out of the house, and took in Naia and several other females. To instruct them and teach them how to control their fertility." Gurjin explained with a grimace.

"And that is a topic you don't want to hear coming from your mother, or regarding any of your sisters?" Elta asked with a giggle. "Well, worry not, I have already suffered through that particular bit of embarrassment. You're welcome to sleep here."

"Oh wonderful. My father took over the guest barracks and is having a talk with the other males, as well as Kylan and Amri." Gurjin said with a cringe and flopped face down on Elta's bed,

"Yikes. Getting it from both sides tonight, aren't you." Elta asked sympathetically and patted his back. She picked up his bag and put it on the opposite bunk. "You can sleep on this bunk."

"I'm sure I'd be more comfortable over here." Gurjin said, in a husky voice that sent shivers racing up Elta's spine. "It does get cold in these little cabins after dark." He added, rolling over to look at Elta.

Gurjin watched her fidget with her shirt hem. He had learned by observing her, that this was a way to show her nervousness, clenching and wringing her hands was her tell for anger or frustrations. Gurjin got up and tugged Elta's hands from her shirt. He held her hands to his mouth and kissed them.

"Will you allow me to join you tonight?" Gurjin asked quietly, a little pleased that Elta shivered at the sound of his voice the way she would when he tickled her ears.

"I was thinking about that myself." Elta murmured, letting Gurjin kiss her jaw near her ear. "But, I think we should dreamfast first." she said, pulling away, and wanting to laugh at Gurjin's grumble.

"We could dreamfast afterwards." Gurjin suggested hopefully. Elta shook her head.

"You only know what I've told you about my life before I arrived in Sog. There is so much more that you should know, before we do anything more permanent than kissing and stroking ears." Elta said softly. "Your perception of me may change. Don't try to deny it. I've thought hard about this for several days. I've prepared myself as much as I could." she added, cutting off Gurjin's attempt to assure her of his current feelings. Elta held out her hand, palm up and waited. Gurjin didn't hesitate and placed his palm over hers.

"I'll start as far back as I remember." Elta's voice whispered in Gurjin's head. "The Dousan had arrived, and this was the first time I was allowed to meet them. They were so brightly dressed, their robes and wraps all fluttered in the spring breezes." she sounded wistful. Gurjin smiled as a handful of Spritons and Dousans set up trading tents on a broad sandy plain. He watched as the memory played forward to two tiny Spriton childlings went shrieking and laughing after a trio of older Dousan boys, the eldest one contriving to look bored, while the two younger stopped to fashion wooden swords and gave them to the smaller girls.

"My sister and I, and those boys were the grandsons of the matron who would eventually teach me embroidery. There was Harkol, the eldest, Ichav, and then Olet." Elta's mind voice sounded unhappy when she mentioned Olet. "He was always kind to me, we became good friends, and he would always come to the trade fairs in spring and fall. I lost track of how many trines I had known him and his brothers, until Harkol missed the spring fair, and came with his new mate and their baby at the fall fair."

"That was when I realized what I wanted." Elta's voice was very quiet in his head. Gurjin looked at the next memory she offered him. Olet, the Dousan boy had become a handsome, full grown male, and Gurjin could feel the surprise and underlying pleasure that Elta had felt when she realized how Olet was looking at her now. "I wanted him, and he returned that desire. I could hardly wait till the next fair. For three trines, we courted during the fairs, his grandmother, parents, and brothers all encouraged us, and gave us an alibi whenever my parents came looking for me. But it was my sister who sold us out. For the choice to wed our village's next leader." Gurjin shivered at the icy tone Elta had used.

He watched as Olet offered Elta a necklace, crafted with bone and green crystals, Elta had smiled and hugged him, the memory skipped several hours forward and Gurjin was thankful Elta didn't let him watch her joining with another male. Olet was lying next to Elta and was asking her to be his lifemate, Elta agreed. They made plans for him to come in the fall and she'd leave with him happily.

"As you can see, we had made plans, and I was ready to run to the Crystal Desert to be with him. We had even talked about childlings. I hadn't realized it then, but I had let it happen. I had become pregnant with Olet's childling. It wasn't until unum afterwards, that I realized, so there was no real way to contact Olet and tell him. My parents were absolutely disgusted at the thought of a mixed breed grandchild and made no secret of how ashamed they were of me. I wasn't allowed to eat at their table, or attend my sister's mating ceremony. I was alone for the first time in my life. I stopped dream fasting with my parents, ignored my sister, avoided everyone I could in the village. I only spoke to the midwife who attended me. Even after I gave birth, I would avoid my family and the villagers." Elta explained as her memories began flashing, a moment of her father shouting at her in anger, her mother looking at her in contempt, as Elta sewed infant sized clothing and nappies. Her sister sneering at her, with her mate looking a little confused, while in the beginning stages of her own pregnancy. Then the Dousan turned up in her memories again.

"But Olet did not come for the fall fair. He did not come for me and our childling. My father refused to let me go to speak with Ichav, he was the new Sandmaster of the Xeric that had come. My father went to speak with him, and came back to tell me that Olet had perished in a sandstorm, his crystal skimmer had been struck by lightning and he was incinerated." Gurjin felt the echoes of Elta's heart breaking, her devastation at the news of Olet's death. Her anguish brought on an early labour, and Gurjin watched from Elta's eyes as the midwife, with fear in her eyes, helped Elta give birth. Gurjin heard the thin wail of an infant, extremely unhappy with being born, and then darkness. Elta ended the dream fast.

"I lost the gelfling I loved, and my infant in the same day. My mother said he died soon after I had fainted. I was devastated, and stayed abed for an unum. I couldn't face anyone, let alone Olet's brother. I only left the house to do my chores, and gather berries and nuts. Although I never took a basket and always returned empty handed." Elta said sadly. "It took me a full trine to remember how to live without either of them."

"That was terrible." Gurjin said bluntly, Elta looked up at him. "How your family treated you. We love you. I love you. If you don't want to go to the Dousan with us, I'll just stay here, with you."

"I'd love to go on an actual journey. I don't bear the Dousan ill will. I'm fairly certain I've fallen in love with you as well." Elta said, Gurjin ran his thumb across her cheek, wiping a stray tear from her face. Warmth flooded her body when he kissed her.


	18. Together

Elta and Gujin were lying in her bed, just enjoying the quiet of the night and the semi darkness of her bedroom. Gurjin hadn't pushed her to join with him, instead he simply held her and shared a few kisses. They spoke of their families, friends from other parts of Thra. Made guesses as to what they had become, and what the future held now that everything was uncertain with the Skeksis stealing gelfling to drain for their essence. Eventually they began to talk about their future and what they might have. Gurjin carefully avoided the topic of childlings, though he could feel the pull of Thra to make more.

"Do you want childlings, Gurjin." Elta asked softly, Gurjin inhaled sharply, some females had stronger mind skill than others, and it seemed like Elta was on par with Naia. "I'm still able to bear. The birth of my first wasn't hard on me at all."

"I would like to be named father someday." Gurjin admitted slowly, trying to judge Elta's reaction.

"I'm sure that can be easily arranged. Thra's pull has started on most of the females in Sog." Elta said, rolling over to face Gurjin, and stroking his bare chest. "I can hear rain. Is it too early to begin our first night?" she asked, pressing her body against his and sliding her leg over his hip. Gurjin ran his hand down her side slowly making his way to her hip.

It did not take much to arouse gelflings of either sex, and he could already feel his own need pressing against his pants.

"Are you sure? Our dream fast…" Gurjin began cautiously.

'I have had six trine to accept my past. I have moved forward. Will you join me?" Elta asked, and stripped off her sleep shirt. Gurjin was momentarily stunned at the sight of Elta's bare chest.

"I can't tell if that is a poor trick to play, or a clever one to get me to cooperate." Gurjin managed to say.

"Your cooperation would be greatly appreciated, as I wouldn't want to do this by myself." Elta said, with a small smile as Gurjin groaned.

Typical of a female, her breasts were small, pleasing handfuls, which Gurjin immediately reached to fondle. Elta leaned into his touch, letting him set the pace they would move at. He pulled her into a kiss and rolled so that he was on his back and she was straddling his waist. Elta leaned across his chest to kiss him, and Gurjin's hands slid up her back to the bases of her wings. His large hands rubbed the small knots of muscle, making Elta arch her back and writhe a little. He carefully stroked her lower wings, nerve endings were very nearly exposed in the wings, making them sensitive to touch.

Gurjin sat up, making Elta slip into his lap, and kissed her deeply. Gurjin slid his hands to Elta's hips and lifted her off.

"I need to remove my trousers." Gurjin said, standing. Elta laid on her side and watched him strip off his pants and loin wrap, baring his body completely. He joined Elta again and began kissing her chest, down her breast bone to her navel, then returned, paying extra attention to her breasts. Elta shivered with pleasure, and Gurjin could see her skin prickle as she shivered. He stroked her body with one hand, while he kissed her neck, as Elta's hand found his gills and caressed them, before moving up to his ears to rub them.

Gurjin purred deep in his chest, a sound only males could make when very pleased, and slid his hand between Elta's legs, she spread her legs willingly for him and hooked her left leg on his hip. Gurjin's touch made Elta undulate her hips as he tested her readiness for him. He slipped two fingers inside her and kept his thumb on the small nub full of nerve endings. He had learned that this was a surefire way to pleasure a female, and it worked well for him.

"Gurjin!" Elta gasped as he stroked his fingers in and out. Just as she was about to come undone at his hand, he pulled away and kneeled over Elta. He took her knees and guided her legs around his waist, lifting her hips off the bed, and swiftly pushing himself inside her. Elta let out a short cry.

"Are you hurt?" Gurjin asked, through gritted teeth, trying to stay still.

"A little." Elta said with a whimper. "You aren't exactly small, either." she added, Gurjin huffed and remained still, his control almost breaking from the feel of Elta around him. The warmth of her, his own desire building.

Gurjin very nearly lost control, until Elta pulled his attention back as she moved beneath him. He withdrew and thrust over and over. Elta's nails gouged short scratches in his back, before gripping his hips and pulling him to her when he thrust. Gurjin felt Elta go rigid for a moment, before crying his name, Gurjin's body responded immediately and he reached climax moments after Elta had. He withdrew, and laid next to her, he didn't plan on smothering her afterall.

"So, now what?" Elta asked, scooting across her bed to give Gurjin more room.

"Another round?" Gurjin suggested with a lazy grin, Elta smacked his shoulder gently.

"I meant, should we get some sleep, or give the night up as a loss?" Elta explained. "We both have duties to see to." she added, the torches had burned out, meaning it was long past midnight and they had spent most of that time talking.

"It's still a long time till morning. We can get some sleep." Gurjin said, pulling Elta into his arms, and nuzzling her neck with his nose, before breathing deeply. He had fallen asleep quickly, leaving Elta to fall asleep in his arms.


	19. First Night part one

Elta yawned, while stretching, then let out a yelp of surprise, Gurjin had pinched her unprotected waist, just above her hip. He grinned wickedly and started to rise.

"No, no! We have duties to attend, and I'm sure we're already late." Elta protested as Gurjin leaned towards her for a kiss. Gurjin pouted a little, but got up and rummaged through his bag. He came up with a wrinkled tunic and some deep brown trousers, also wrinkled.

"You are not wearing that to the festival, are you?" Elta asked in poorly concealed disgust. Gurjin looked at his clothes, then up at her with a blank look on his face.

"What's wrong with these?" Gurjin asked, tilting his head.

"You are very clever, but sometimes, I think your brain escapes your skull." Elta said, looking skyward for a moment. "Also, your mother is incredibly perceptive. She asked me to make clothes to a specific set of measurements. Since your father is shorter than you are, I worked out early on that this set of clothes was for you." Elta said, she had agreed unum ago to make a festival worthy outfit for an unnamed male and had received a set of measurements that didn't fit too many males in the village. She went into her store room to retrieve the set of clothes she had finished days ago.

"Mother is match making again." Gurjin said with a grin.

"I don't think she missed the mark too much this time." Elta said, letting Gurjin hug her, and nuzzle her neck a little. "You can wait till tonight. I have to as well." she murmured, as she pulled out a brightly decorated tunic, then gasped. What Gurjin took to be fringing, was actually slashed fabric and torn beading. Elta dropped the shirt and pulled out the trousers, they had been torn to shreds and were moldy from being dunked in stale swamp water.

"They're ruined! Who could do such a thing?" Elta cried, she had worked so hard to make the clothing, making clothing wasn't her strongest skill. Beading was difficult as well. "I don't understand. I worked so hard for so long." she rambled, trying to make her mind work. Someone had deliberately gone into her cottage and destroyed her work. Work that had been paid for and promised for a specific date.

"I'll fetch my father. Don't open anything else." Gurjin said, and left quickly. Elta could only wait, and stare at the ruined clothes. She had hoped to further impress Laesid with the work she had done, and wanted to see Gurjin in the Spriton cut shirt and trousers. She didn't have to wait long as Bellanji and the guards came in. Bellanji himself searched Elta's room after a whispered conversation with Gurjin, as one of the two guards searched her work room and the other stood outside.

"Someone should tell Maudra Laesid. Naia's head covering could have been tampered with!" Elta said suddenly. "I didn't look too closely at it when I handed it over to her the other day."

Bellanji waved at her to leave and Elta ran and flew all the way to the arch where Laesid would spend most the day directing the final touches.

"Maudra Laesid! A moment, please." Elta gasped. "Someone broke into my cabin and destroyed the suit of clothes you ordered. Master Bellanji is there now, he sent me to warn you that Naia's head covering could have been tampered with. May I see it, please?" Elta said in a rush, half on her knees, and wings quivering, from racing all the way down the Smerth to the festival square. Laesid looked amused, then shocked as what Elta had said registered.

"Naia, you continue with the preparations, I'll return soon. Come with me, Elta." Laesid said sternly and led Elta to her family home. "Naia will return here to get ready. If the covering has indeed been tampered with, it would have had to happen within the last week." Laesid said in a low tone. She opened a cabinet and pulled out a basket. A silver circlet sat on top of the head covering, and Elta stretched it out across a low couch to carefully inspect the stitching on both sides.

"Whoever destroyed my work, had the sense not to tamper with the truly important things. The covering is fine." Elta announced, to her and Laesid's relief. "But what good are festival clothes, if Gurjin can't wear them?" she added miserably.

"We will find who did this, and they will be punished severely." Laesid growled, she did not like discord in her clan and worked to keep everything harmonious. Elta gave Laesid a slightly frightened glance as she set the covering in the basket.

"How severe is 'Severely' Maudra?" asked Elta in a small voice.

"You don't need to worry about that. Go see to your cottage. I have some of Gurjin's older festival clothes here." Laesid said, dismissing Elta gently.

"He tried to wear awfully wrinkled working clothes. I pulled out the set you ordered, and that's how we found...Oh shards!" Elta cursed lightly, Laesid turned to look at her as Elta turned red.

"'We' is it? He was getting dressed in your cottage, was he?" Laesid asked as Elta tried to burst into flames from blushing alone. "Did he behave honourably?"

"For the most part. But he eventually saw things my way after a while." Elta admitted, as Laesid's brow wrinkled in surprise.

"Your way?" Laesid asked, impressed, Elta hardly ever initiated anything.

"Your son is charming, honest, kind and generous. As well as handsome, muscular, and exotic, to a small village Spriton gelfling like myself. I have been lusting after him for a while. And I think I've fallen in love with him. We dream fasted last night, and spoke at length. Then I asked him to join with me. He did not require much convincing." Elta explained, smiling fondly at the thought of Gurjin's short lived concern. "I'm going to go with him to the Dousan, and we'll come back the long way. I want to see if anyone else survived my village burning."

"Will you handfast with him? He wants so much to be with you." Laesid asked, "Whenever he sleeps here, it's Elta this and Elta that. He's become unbearable lately." Laesid chuckled.

"Where else does he sleep?" Elta asked curiously, as Laesid handed her a bundle of clothing.

"The guest quarters. He prefers to be surrounded by his comrades. It reminds him of being in the barracks." laesid said, seeing the flash of concern on Elta's face. "His eyes and ears are only for you. You needn't worry about his loyalty to you."

"Thank you Maudra." Elta said, then left the house to go back to her cottage with Gurjin's older clothes.

Elta returned to her cottage, and found Gurjin and the guards waiting for her. All the destroyed items had been found, including her hand made gift for Naia. Several presentation blankets, a repaired shawl, the scarf, a little girls first pair of shoes, all had been slashed to ribbons.

"I can remake most of these things. The blankets are simple enough. The shawl will have to be completely replaced, as will the shoes. And Naia's Loving scarf is ruined completely, I don't have time to remake it." Elta said, to Gurjin as the guards left. "Your mother sent you some clothes. My big mouth told her everything." she added, Gurjin hugged Elta to his chest.

"She would have found out somehow, anyway." Gurjin said softly, stroking Elta's hair. "It's almost midday, we have work to do for the festival. We have to get moving. Let's put this behind us for now and enjoy the day!" he said loudly, lifting Elta by the waist and spinning a couple times, making her laugh.


	20. First Night part two

Gurjin dressed in the clothes his mother had sent, while Elta had found her festival clothes, thankfully untouched, and changed into them. She braided her hair back, in an elaborate style. Flower braids in different sizes sat on the crown of her head, with the rest of her hair in simple braids that knotted behind her ears. She tinted her lips with a balm coloured with crushed red and orange coral dust, it was one of the few things she had with her before the attack. Gurjin whistled when he saw her come out of her room.

"Is your skirt supposed to be so short?" Gurjin asked, very interested in the sight of Elta's calves below the hem of her yellow skirt. Her white shirt was more embroidery than white, and was fitted to her rather than loose like her borrowed Drenchen shirts. Her sleeves, embroidered, were fitted from wrist to elbow, where they puffed out, had narrow slits with looping embroidery to keep the edges from fraying.

"It's so I don't trip on the hem when I dance. Besides, I haven't put my stockings on yet. Or my shoes." Elta said with a giggle.

"You don't have to wear either if you don't want to. Everyone will be barefoot by night fall anyway. Especially if it starts raining again." Gurjin said, as Elta pulled on knit lace stockings and tied them with bright yellow ribbons. Her soft strider hide shoes were bright white, with bits of beading and embroidery. If she danced the quick footed jigs the Spritons favoured, her feet would be a dizzying blur of colourful sparks.

"The point of dancing shoes, is to dance holes in them. And stockings are easy to make. Childlings can make their own. I just watched how lace was made and thought how pretty stockings would look. Well, if they didn't vanish as soon as I started making them!" Elta said proudly. "I have a little wheel I use to make regular stockings. I've been sending little socks for the mothers to use on their infants feet. I have a lace board to make lace stockings like these. They take longer and have to be sewn up the back. There's nothing worse than having the seam creeping around your leg." Elta said, as she rambled, Gurjin had combed and braided his hair, enjoying her openness with him.

They went first to the main dining hall as lunch was being set up, free for the taking. They sat and ate with some childlings, all of whom were excited to be out for most of the games and dancing set up for the afternoon. They would be seen to by child minders once dusk had fallen so that their parents could enjoy the more adult festivities. The musicians were playing one after the other so as not to exhaust themselves before the mating ceremony took place. The childlings raced off after stuffing themselves full of sweets and bread, leaving Gurjin and Elta to eat in peace.

"Since me and Naia are twins, there's a chance we could each produce our own twins." Gurjin said with a grin at Elta, she smiled at him and looked thoughtful.

"My grandfather was one of three. He was the only one to survive long enough to produce childlings though." Elta said, as Gurjin's eyes widened. "His first brother didn't live very long after birth, he was very small and weak. The other, was killed during the Arathim Wars, his handfasted went on to marry my grandfather and have my mother." Gurjin was looking at her, his eyes so wide he looked like a night peeper frog.

"Three at once?" Gurjin squeaked in surprise. "You're having fun with me, aren't you?"

"Great grandmother was surprised as well. So there is a very high chance that with your lineage and mine, twins may be inevitable." Elta said, neatly flipping Gurjin's attempt at surprising her onto himself. She hid her grin as she sipped her cup of ta. Gurjin looked a little shocked as he ate mechanically, his eyes staring into the distance. Twins were extremely rare, triplets was nearly unheard of. They left the dining hall, Gurjin was expected by his mother and Elta was to help with the child minders until dusk.

Gurjin followed his mother and Naia as they walked along the boardwalks, looking at the foods and crafts that were up for trading. He caught sight of Elta and his younger sisters as they all helped with the childlings. Playing ring toss games to win small toys, or fishing in buckets to catch tokens to trade at the sweets stalls. The Drenchen had gone all out this trine, with all the refugees needing a little bit of cheer, they had pulled out all the stops. All their best goods, best dishes, and best clothing was on display. Music lilted through the hanging vines of the Great Smerth, open platforms with musicians from around Thra, many of whom were refugees asked to display their talents, as the Drenchen would perform for the mating ceremony and after dark so that everyone could enjoy at least part of the main night festivities.

Gurjin was tasked with helping a Vapran childling build a floating lantern, it would be set to drift on the swamp moat around the Smerth, along with hundreds of others made by everyone. Anyone could pick up a lantern and light it. They were set to float as a bit of fun. Elta walked by, with a pair of Drenchen childlings following her and a third in her arms, she caught Gurjin's eye and smiled at him. He smiled back and watched her walk off, only turning back to the little girl, when she patted his knee for attention.

Gurjin let the idea of his own childlings keep him occupied after his duties were completed and he joined Elta on the main square. She looked a little frazzled, but was quickly patting her hair into place and straightening her skirt and stockings.

"Drenchen children are much stronger than I thought." Elta said, taking a cup of sweet ta from a table near where she had found Gurjin, he chuckled.

"Those are just the ones still too young to help with the harder duties." Gurjin said. "You looked at ease with those childlings." he added softly, pulling Elta into a one armed hug.

"I would like to try for my own again someday." Elta said, leaning into Gurjin's side and slipping her arm around his waist.

"Have you thought more about the handfasting tonight?" Gurjin asked, trying to keep the hope out of his voice. Elta looked at her cup for a moment.

"I want to handfast with you." Elta began, Gurjin looked thrilled. "But, I don't want to do it in front of everyone. I don't feel comfortable with all the attention. And Naia and Amri deserve the night to celebrate their mating." she added, Gurjin nodded.

"I'll speak to my mother, so she doesn't call on either of us after the ceremony." Gurjin said, he nuzzled Elta's nose quickly and went to find Laesid.

Gurjin found Laesid with Naia, helping her through a last minute case of cold wings.

"Alright there, sis?" Gurjin asked brightly, Naia looked up at him, eyes wide in panic. "Amri's waiting to get this done. He isn't going anywhere without you, you know. Besides, me and Elta are going with you to the Dousan."

"She agreed to handfast?" Laesid asked, excited.

"She will, but not tonight. She doesn't want any attention, or to take it away from Naia." Gurjin explained.

"Why is she so hesitant? She loves you, that is obvious. But she hasn't even dreamfasted with you." Naia said in exasperation, someone else's problem was easier to focus on than her own nerves.

"We dream fasted last night. I can't tell you why she hesitates so much. You'll have to ask her about it." Gurjin said quietly, and got two confused looks. "She has very good reasons to not trust others." he added, then turned to leave the cottage.

"Tell her I look forward to when she becomes my sister." Naia called after him. Gurjin waved in acknowledgement, and left. "Mother?"

"He can't share her secrets. And she needs to be able to trust us as well. Patience is necessary to gain hers." Laesid advised, Naia nodded and pulled her dress straight. "Now, we are ready to begin the ceremony."

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	21. First Night part three

Lanterns lit the path Naia and her mother took, a long winding path down the walkways to the boardwalk that circled the Great Smerth. Naia's sisters followed her, while Bellanji and Gurjin waited at the last walkway before the square. Bellanji held the silver circlet, while Gurjin held the headcover. This was usually done by the father, but Laesid had insisted on giving Gurjin a part in the ceremony as he was Naia's twin brother. Gurjin unrolled the head cover after placing it on Naia's head, their sister's awestruck sighs made both Naia and Gurjin grin. Bellanji settled the circlet on Naia's brow, securing the head cover, and kissed her forehead.

"You've grown up. Now teach your brother how to do the same." Bellanji said with a grin as Naia snickered. Gurjin tried to look affronted but failed as his face split into a grin.

"I've been trying to give you away forever, now I get to watch as someone takes you away." Gurjin said with a wicked smirk as Naia rolled her eyes.

"You're going to say that to Eliona and Pemma too, aren't you?" Naia asked, still chuckling.

"Wouldn't be much of a big brother, if I didn't try to sell my sisters." Gurjin said, and receiving a light smack from Laesid.

"He only tried that once and got his bottom tanned darker than boot hide for it." Laesid laughed. "Now, Amri is looking like he's going to bolt simply from nerves. Let's ease the poor lad's worry." Naia followed her mother, while their family took seats with friends. Gurjin sat with Elta and whispered the conversation to her.

"In this time, we have become uncertain with our place in Thra's everlasting song. Our lands are besieged by the darkening, the Crystal of Truth drained of it's power. Only our light and honesty among ourselves still stands true. The love we bear for those who love us will keep us strong. Our unity will keep us safe. My daughter Naia has declared that she has found the one who she shall be strong for, the one who shall be kept safe. Amri, from the Grottan clan, do you also declare that you shall be strong, not only for Naia, but the family you join, and the family you'll make? Do you declare that all those who care for you, you will help to keep them safe?" Laesid had turned to Amri, who had gained some colour back, once Laesid began her speech. Amri took a breath, only to snort as Laesid spoke before he could. "Do you also declare to start a family as soon as possible? An old gelfling wants grand childings." Laesid added, making the gathered gelfling laugh uproariously, as both Naia and Amri's ears reddened.

"I so declare that I will stand to defend those I love, strong or weak. I declare to provide safety, be it a home, a meal,or my sword." Amri said looking at Naia as she smiled at him. "And I'll do my best to convince Naia to think about having childlings." He added, to more laughter, including Naia's. Naia had declared before the clan her intention to mate with Amri, and since he was joining the Drenchen clan, she didn't have to say vows as he did. The mating ceremony acted as his acceptance into the clan.

"As Maudra of the Drenchen it is my duty, to announce that Amri is now one of us. It is my pleasure to announce that my daughter has found her heart's own. I present to the clan, our first mated couple, Amri and Naia of the Drenchen." Laesid announced to the crowd, she was almost drowned out by the cheering. "If there any who would like to declare a hand fasting or wish to mate, do so now, before the rain starts!" Laesid had to shout to be heard, several young couples went up to the arch, and were either joined or hand fasted for everyone to see. Gurjin looked at Elta, hopefully.

"The less who know, the less they can interfere." Elta said quietly. "We'll speak to Maudra Laesid before she retires for the night." Gurjin smiled.

"Let's go get some some spun honey." Gurjin suggested and grabbed Elta's hand, the dancing would begin after the main meal was eaten, and everyone was comfortably full. They walked up and down the boardwalk looking at handmade trinkets and art. Elta was greeted warmly by many female Drenchen, she had made more friends as she had opened up during the past unum.

Gurjin paid close attention to everyone who spoke with her. He was trying to find out who would dislike Elta enough to destroy her work, especially paid for work that would have to be remade and paid for out of Elta's own earnings. So far, everyone seemed sincere in their friendliness towards her. Bellanji hadn't made much progress on his side either, he had told Gurjin before Naia had reached them at the arch. Elta turned to him, looking at him quizzically as he had fallen behind her. He smiled, she had stopped at a stall that held childlings toys. The elderly male who carved apeknot wood into childling safe toys was trying to convince her to trade her skills for his.

"So, you see, I can make small forms for hands and feet. I can put in these screws to make the forms bigger and smaller. I can make four. Childling and adult sized, for male and female feet." said the elder hopefully. If he could make a deal, Elta would make doll clothes and animals stuffed with soft swamp rush fibres.

"I can't make any deals right now. I'll be leaving for an unum or so. And I have work to catch up on before I go. Let's talk when I return." Elta said, sounding disappointed, the elder patted her hand and smiled.

"Perhaps when you come back, you'll be in need of some toys for childlings yourself." He said with a chuckle as Gurjin joined Elta at the stall. Her ears turned red and went back.

"Does everyone know?" Elta said, cringing.

"It's a secret only you and our maudren know. So naturally, everyone knows too." the elder said with a satisfied smirk on his face as Gurjin chuckled, Elta groaned and put her face against Gurjin's chest.

A sudden drumbeat announced the beginning of the dancing and people started cheering. Adults and older childlings flocked to the larger platforms, as the musicians began to warm up. They started with a short quickstep that had everyone stomping along happily. Gurjin lead Elta through several Drenchen dances that consisted of stomping heels, swift turns and and clapping hands to the beat to augment the music being played. Elta was thoroughly enjoying herself as they danced, and was pleasantly surprised at how light Gurjin was on his feet when he wanted to be. Gurjin had noticed Kylan talking to the musicians with small drums and fiddles. He looked fairly excited, and ran over to Elta as she finished a small cup of honey wine. Kylan spoke to her for a moment before she nodded to him and set her cup in the bucket for washing.

The musicians warmed up with a quick drumroll, and several refugees, Vapran and some Stonewood, joined the dancefloor with Kylan and Elta. Gurjin watched as the musicians began a Spriton jig.

Kylan took Elta's hand as she held the edge of her skirt in her other and they began dancing. Gurjin had been right when he had mused that her feet would be a blur of bright colourful sparks. Kylan's feet tapped lightly on the boards, but he moved with great precision. The other dancers slowly dropped out as the tempo picked up. Elta let go of Kylan's hand and spun away from him, they turned and danced back to back, then spun around to face each other, still dancing as the music got even faster.

Then Elta spun, kicking her foot up high and making Kylan jump back, but did not stop dancing. The Drenchen onlookers gasped at Elta's seeming attack, until Kylan dropped and made a sweeping kick towards Elta's feet. She jumped his leg and spun on her toes, making her skirt whirl upwards, revealing the ribbons on her lace stockings. Gurjin was now entranced at the sight of Elta and Kylan dancing together. Kylan caught Elta's hand and spun her around him, his feet still moving as he turned with Elta.

She completed several rotations, before she gripped Kylans hand and spun towards him. With his arm wrapped around her, she was both leading the dance and trapped. Elta fell into a crouch, dragging Kylan down as well, their legs kicking in the same design, if Kylan missed a step, he would fall and have Elta land on him. Kylan found an opening and got his feet under hm, he surged upward, his hands on Elta's waist. He managed to lift Elta into the air and send her into a flying spin.

Elta landed and kept spinning, until her loose shoelace got caught between the boards and snapped tight, stopping her from continuing her dancing. Elta's shoe came half off her foot and she tripped, and fell to her knees. Kylan kept dancing for a moment longer, then stopped with his arms raised, to the cheers of those watching. He turned around and offered his hand to Elta, she laughed and let him help her up, to cheers and foot stompings.

Gurjin had gotten two mugs of Stonewood ale, fully intending to drink one to himself until Elta and Kylan took them and gulped them down happily. Gurjin made a sound of protest and reached for Elta's mug, only for her to push his hand away. Kylan and Elta finished the ale and slammed their mugs on the table next to them. They gasped for breath for a moment.

"I haven't danced like that in ages." Elta said with a laugh, Kylan chuckled, still a little breathless.

"If you hadn't tripped, I wouldn't have won." Kylan said, holding out his hand palm out, Elta hesitated, then took his hand.

A short dream fast showed her that Kylan had been ready to quit just as she tumbled to the planks of the square.

Elta broke the dream fast and cringed.

"I was hoping to dances holes in my shoes, not dance right out of them." said Elta.

"Are all Spriton dances like that?" Gurjin asked, a little put out at how easily Elta had accepted Kylan's dream fast.

"Not always. But it's fun to compete." Elta said with a grin at Kylan, he nodded in agreement.

"Usually there's a prize. Elta would've been disqualified if she had used her wings in that throw." Kylan pointed out. "Since this is a Drenchen festival, I don't think the same rules apply."

"We dance for fun, not to win anything." Gurjin said with a shrug, and upturned hands.

"Spritons are competitive. More so than any other two clans combined." Kylan said wryly, "Song telling is my best skill, but dancing is my other. Being lighter than the other boys gave me an advantage and Maudra Mera encouraged it, since I would never be a fighter like the rest."

"If you ever want a rematch, or a dance partner, come talk to me." Elta said with a laugh, and took Gurjin's arm. "But we should go and find Maudra Laesid. She'll be retiring soon." Gurjin brightened up considerably and said good night to Kylan.

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	22. First Night part four

Laesid and Bellanji were already in their bed clothes when Gurjin and Elta asked to speak to Laesid quickly. Since Gurjin was the son of the Drenchen Maudra, his handfasting had to be approved by her, otherwise, it would simply be overseen by the parents of both gelflings involved. Mating contracts would be dealt with after two unum, if both still wished to wed. In Naia's case, as the next Maudra, she didn't need a contract as she could nullify any mating if she saw fit to do so.

Laesid stood awkwardly, and went to the sitting room to join Gurjin and Elta.

"I understand that you two wish to handfast?" Laesid began softly. "Have you dream fasted? Have you seen anything that would make you think that this isn't a good choice?"

"What I've seen only makes me want to help her move forward into a new life. One filled with love and happiness." Gurjin said sincerely.

"I don't wish to part from him. He makes me feel loved, and accepted. I would happily join his clan, forsaking my birth clan in favour of being with the one I love." Elta said, leaning against Gurjin's shoulder and weaving her fingers with his.

"Then you have my permission to hand fast. If either of you decides to break the hand fasting, I will tie you to the branches of the Smerth until you come to your senses." Laesid said, mock threateningly, making Gurjin and Elta laugh. "You still wish to travel with your sister and the refugees?"

"Yes, Maudra. We beg your permission to leave." Gurjin said with a nod.

"Well, if anything will test a new mating and a hand fast, it's dealing with you and your sister while sleeping on the ground." Laesid said with some irony. Gurjin grinned unashamedly.

"Oh, I am taking a bed roll. With a double sleeping pad." Elta said with such fervor, that Laesid and Gurjin laughed at her. "And a tent. I am not getting rained on if I can avoid it."

"Everyone going will have their own tents. We have a wagon for supplies. It's not very big, but it'll hold enough so that everyone is somewhat comfortable." Laesid said, still smiling.

"Thank you Maudra." Elta said with a short bow as she and Gurjin rose to leave.

"Good night. Enjoy the rest of First Night." Laesid said and closed the door behind them.

Elta and Gurjin returned to the festival, happily joining the dancing and drinking for several more hours, before retiring to Elta's cottage. They were happily drunk and Gurjin couldn't keep his hands to himself any longer. Elta was equally as guilty as he was, especially after several more cups of honey wine. It seemed she was a lightweight when it came to the sweeter wine. She was also much more energized by the honey than Gurjin was, it seemed, and she was already affectionate without alcohol in her system. Elta was very eager in getting Gurjin out of his shirt, after loudly exclaiming about how muscular he was to a laughing Amri and Naia. That was when Gurjin stopped handing Elta fresh cups of wine.

He had to laugh when Naia and Elta started arguing over who was stronger, Amri or Gurjin. Naia insisted Amri was like a wire, slim and wickedly strong. Elta scoffed and said he was more like a jump rope made of rope woven grass, before stating that Gurjin was as strong as an armalug. Naia laughed and called him as ugly as one too. The argument would've continued if this hadn't sent both females into a fit of giggles. Amri had to hold Naia up as she laughed and Gurjin picked up Elta, making her crow with delight and try to sneer at Naia, only to look like she had eaten a sour peach berry. Gurjin laughed and stated he was taking Elta to her cottage before she was too drunk to even stand.

Gurjin hardly got her into the cottage and closed the door behind him, before she was tugging his shirt out of his belt and sliding her hands up his chest. He leaned against the door, and let Elta push his shirt off his shoulders, then pull his head down to kiss him. He put his arms around her and pulled her to him. Gurjin's fingers found the ties to Elta's skirt and pulled them loose, her skirt slipped to hang on her hips, and Gurjin slid his hands under the hem of her now loose shirt. Elta shifted then pulled away from him, letting her skirt fall to the floor, she kicked it away and let Gurjin pull her shirt over her head. He shrugged out of his shirt and untied his belt to remove it and his pants.

They didn't make it to her bedroom, instead Elta pushed Gurjin onto her floor pillows and had him out of his clothes before he could protest. She pulled off her thin underdress and her underwrap before joining him on the pillows to kiss him, her hands on his shoulders, held him down and she wouldn't let him change their position. He stopped trying and let her have her way, since he had the lead last night. Gurjin felt Elta press herself against his already hard member.

"Elta?" Gurjin croaked weakly, she hummed lowly, making him groan slightly. "You've had a lot to drink." he managed to say as Elta began kissing his neck, going so far as to nip his broad collar bone.

"So did you." Elta pointed out. "I'm tipsy and very needy. I only got a taste of what we can do together last night." she added, looking up at him, he shuddered as she had wriggled enough to grant him entrance inside her.

"If you're sure…' Gurjin groaned, as she slid along his full length till he was fully inside her.

"Very." Elta said breathlessly, she undulated her back and hips, pulling another groan from Gurjin, as he held her hips and guided her motion. Elta's wings flicked out and fluttered as she began to reach her peak, she was surprised when Gurjin suddenly flipped her onto her back and began thrusting. Gurjin pulled Elta's legs around his waist, and shoved a pillow under her hips, the new position brought them both to their peak and the strength of it left them gasping for breath. After a few moments, Gurjin pulled away and went to get up.

"Gurjin?" Elta called, as he reached for a pile of cloth he hoped was his clothing. "Are you leaving?" she asked in a small voice.

"I should. After taking my pleasure from you when you were trying to give it." Gurjin began, then looked startled when Elta's snorted very inelegantly at him.

"I wouldn't have been able to finish. As much as I like that position, I don't have the stamina to finish for either of us." Elta held out her hand. "Want to see?" she offered. Gurjin looked at her, she was offering to dream fast, freely. Gurjin took her hand.

He was suddenly thrown back into the growing pleasure of their joining, and could feel Elta's building, only to slow as she moved, her relief and renewed pleasure when he took control was relieving to him.

"I'll be sure to remember that for next time." Gurjin said, pulling Elta into a hug, she snuggled into his chest happily. "We're going to freeze to death out here." he whispered a few moments later, making Elta giggle and pull him to his feet so they could go to her room, and climb into her bed with warm blankets.


	23. Workaday

Morning came far too soon and or too brightly for most of the adults in the Swamp of Sog. Unfortunately for many of them, it also came with hungry childlings demanding breakfast and clean nappies.

Elta resisted the call of Thra for as long as she could, Gurjin was a wonderful bed warmer, and her blankets were perfectly heavy. She finally gave up the fight and went to her water closet. Gurjin was waiting for a turn when she came out. He gave her a quick kiss before hurrying into the water closet. Elta chuckled, he drank as much as she had last night. She poured two cups of water, and drank hers, leaving his for him on the shelf next to her bed, before gathering their discarded clothes to shake out and hang up. She had hung his overly wrinkled clothes from yesterday and set them out for him so he could dress as she did. Gurjin gulped down the water.

"We don't have any duties today." Gurjin said with a smile.

"I have a lot of work to redo." Elta said apologetically. " If we're to leave on time, I have to get it all done and then pack for travel."

"I can get you what you need for travel. A pack, bed pad, flint, a good knife." Gurjin offered.

"My sewing kit, my clothes for travel, I've got boots and shoes. A tent, ground cover,rain guard." Elta continued. "Rain cloak. It won't be very cold on the plains, but the wind, so extra tent anchors. For everyone."

"The wind?" Gurjin inquired, from inside his shirt. He preferred wrap shirts to work shirts.

"It's so strong, that the Dousan tether their crystal skimmers near trees to act as wind breaks. I've seen the wind flip a skimmer and ground it. It almost died. But the Sandmaster got three other skimmers to lift it back into the air high enough to drop it and it righted itself. They called it a death fall." Elta said with a shiver at the memory

"I've heard of that. A grounded skimmer is usually a dead one." Gurjin said, he sat next to Elta and watched as she pulled out her work book. "Those are really well done." he pointed out, looking at the designs.

"It's only the shoes and the blankets that I need to redo from scratch. Thankfully, the elder said, she'd wait for the shawl to be redone." Elta said. "Your mother still wants the clothes for you to be done. So I was going to work on them whenever I had the chance while we travelled."

Gurjin smiled, Elta was making plans for their future, even if it was as tenuous as some festival clothes. He had commissioned a few things that would be completed by the time they returned from their journey. He had begun planning his future ages ago, most males did if they wanted to have a family.

They left the cottage and went in search of some breakfast. As they were eating, a massive bolt of lightning brightened the day for a moment, and was almost immediately followed by a bone rattling crack of thunder. Shrieks were heard as the three suns were engulfed in roiling clouds, and rain began to fall in heavy sheets. The Great Smerth protected the village from the worst of the rain, but it still fell, soaking everyone who was outdoors. Elta took off her shoes, walking on the boardwalks when they were this wet was dangerous, especially for someone as prone to falling off them as she was. Gurjin pulled her out into the downpour with a laugh at her shriek of dismay. He spun her around a few times, to the delight of those still out in the rain. He pulled her into a kiss, making her blush as others shouted at them, happily.

"May I tell them?" Gurjin asked quietly, Elta covered her face with her hands, and leaned into his chest.

"May as well. They all suspect anyway." Elta mumbled, just loud enough for Gurjin to hear her. He held her with one arm, he raised his fist in the air and threw back his head with a howl.

"We're hand fasted!" Gurjin shouted, to cheers and howls. Elta was shaking in his arms. Gurjin angled her chin so he could look at her face. She had tears in her eyes, she was laughing so hard, he grinned at her and swung her around in a circle.

His bare feet slipped on the wet boards, and both he and Elta tumbled off the boardwalk, and into a deep puddle that had formed on the small island. Even more laughter sounded from all around them, as Elta splashed water at Gurjin, and stood up, only to be thrown over Gurjin's shoulder, as he approached the moat. Elta shrieked as he jumped into the water.

"I can't believe you jumped into the moat, just to get me wet." Elta complained, as she wrung water out of her hair and wrapped a large drying cloth around her body. Gurjin grinned, as he struggled to peel off his wet trousers.

"It was only a bit of fun." Gurjin said with a chuckle.

"Your idea of fun seems to revolve around ruining my clothing." Elta said, pursing her lips in an exaggerated pout.

"My fun is centered on getting you out of your clothes." Gurjin clarified, finally getting his pants off and throwing them on the window sill. A knock on the door had him grabbing a drying cloth and hurriedly wrapping it around his waist. Pemma poked her head in and grinned at them.

"Mother sent most of Gurjin's clothes over." Pemma said. "She seems to think that he lives here now." she added dropping a large canvas sack inside Elta's cottage. She left as Gurjin and Elta looked at each other curiously.

"I don't think we quite thought this out enough." Elta said slowly.

"We forgot a few things." Gujin admitted sheepishly.

"I think we'll be alright, so long as you don't snore too loudly." Elta said. "We'll have to do some rearranging so you have space for your things."

"I don't have too much. Left most of it when I left the castle guard." Gurjin said with a dismissive shrug. "And we'll be leaving in two weeks anyway."

"Well, we can make room for your clothes, at least for now." Elta said, and went to her bedroom to see what could be done. Gurjin carried his clothes in and set the bag down.

"When we come back, my house will be finished. We'll live there." Gurjin said quietly. "It'll be your home as well." Elta froze for a moment, and turned to look at him.

"A house?" Elta whispered, shocked. "I don't understand."

"Males hear Thra's call just as loudly as females. I've been wanting to start a family for a trine or so. I ordered the work done when I returned home. Then you walked by, the first night, with a stack of trays. Everything seemed to fall into place that night. My mother started matchmaking that night as well." Gurjin explained softly. "Once I realized that you were my heart's own, I started trying to court you." Elta gave him a suspicious look.

"Tell me you weren't using that book of Naia's as a guide?" Elta asked, with a grimace.

"Never. That book was horrid." Gurjin said with a cringe. Elta picked up her embroidery frame and set to work on the small shoes she had to replace, while Gurjin busied himself with sorting through his clothes.

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	24. Shattered

They worked in companionable quiet for several hours, before Gurjin left, stating he was getting food for them. He returned with a small cask of honey wine, a pot of steaming soup, and a stack of Elta's accidental fry bread. He had also brought more hand work for himself. He was winding twine to make snares for their journey, so they didn't have to use precious rope or tent cord. They ate and sipped the wine slowly. Elta was not in a hurry to relive the headache she had gotten from all the wine she had drank during the main festivities. She looked out her window as the rain poured down, making her cottage dim. Gurjn had brought up a glow lamp and had set it up where they could both work by it's light, but Elta preferred sunlight. She reached for the frame that held her mother's quartz disk, only to find the frame empty.

"Gurjin?" Elta called a little faintly, he looked up from the fishing line he was weaving. "Did the guards take my quartz lens?" she asked.

"No, no one took anything yesterday." Gurjin said, getting up to help Elta look for the large disk.

They searched the cottage for nearly an hour, before Gurjin suggested they go to his father and tell him. Elta was near tears, as she told Bellanji what the disk looked like. His guards were called and sent to question everyone they could about seeing it, and divers were sent to the moat below Elta's cottage to search in case it had simply been tossed out the window. Pemma got a strange look on her face and left with Eliona.

"So, has anyone heard from Naia and Amri yet?" Gurjin asked, hoping to brighten the mood a little.

"No, but I'm sure they are at least attempting to win the grand childling race the four of you are running." Laesid remarked dryly, making Elta snort at the gobsmacked look on Gurjin's face.

"Ma! We don't need to hear about just what they're doing!" Gurjin protested, sounding very disgusted. Elta cracked up laughing, and Laesid looked pleased with herself. Gurjin got his sense of humour from her, but he still needed to refine his delivery.

"Mama? We think we know who took Elta's lens." Pemma said, coming in with Eliona. Eliona gestured behind her, and two guards came in, holding a squawking Yupa between them. "She's been bragging about getting back at Elta for several nights. Her patrol partner got concerned with her mouthing off."

"I didn't do anything! Let me go!" Yupa shrieked.

"Do keep your voice down. We've all got headaches from last night." Laesid said with a wince. "Have a guard search her home. If nothing turns up, then we'll let her be."

"You can't do that!" Yupa protested. "I'm innocent in all this and now you're searching my family's home like I'm a criminal?"

"If there is nothing found, then I will release you from night patrol, and apologize to your family." Laesid said placidly. "That being said, make sure the search is thorough without being destructive." The guards nodded and left with Eliona following behind.

"I don't have any stupid lens. And I didn't touch her ugly clothes either." Yupa muttered, Laesid looked at her out of the corner of her eye. "What male would want a Spriton to make festival clothes for him anyway." she grumbled.

"I think Spriton clothes are quite nice. Functional and lovely." Pemma said hotly. "They use brighter colours and more decoration too."

"What use would decoration be in Sog? Beads just weigh you down in the water, and fish won't go near bright colours. You'd stand out like a skeksis among gelflings, and anything would be able to see you and hunt you for it's dinner." Yupa snapped at Pemma.

"How did you know I put beading on the pants?" Elta asked softly, Yupa sneered at her.

"The beading was on the shirt, not the pants." Yupa sneered, then gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth. Laesid was now glaring at Yupa, not watching Elta as she stood.

"Where is my mother's lens?" Elta demanded quietly.

"I don't have it." Yupa said with a sniff, then shrieked when Elta grabbed her by the collar and threw her on the floor. "I don't have it! I swear. I know where it is. I'll take you to it!" Yupa squealed as Elta walked towards her. Gurjin grabbed Elta's shoulder, she whirled to him, ready to strike him, then stopped and looked chagrined at herself. She took a deep breath and steadied her nerves.

"Show me where it is." Elta growled at Yupa, who looked frightened and got to her feet slowly. She led Elta, Gurjin and Pemma, out of the house and down to the docks. She opened a door that went into the side of an offshoot of the great Smerth. It was dry storage for fishing gear and rain tarps for the smaller boats and canoes. The tree itself was hollowed out as a necessity, to keep it from crowding the Smerth's roots and for gelfling use. It was large enough to have three levels accessed by stairs. Yupa's family primarily used this storage for their fishing gear, so she was able to come and go as she pleased.

Yupa went to the third level, with Pemma right on her heels, while Gurjin and Elta stayed on the ground floor. Gurjin hugged Elta, trying to give her some comfort, she was starting to relax, until Pemma shouted in dismay.

"Yupa, no! Don't!" Pemma shouted as Yupa appeared at the edge of the uppermost level. She glared down at Elta, then hurled the quartz lens down as hard as she could. Gurjin shielded Elta as the disk fell, and shattered into hundreds of pieces at their feet. It spread outwards in an impressive glittering bloom of clear shards. Elta turned and shrieked wordlessly, before Gurjin grabbed her around the waist and lifted her.

"The shards will slice your feet to ribbons." Gurjin shouted, not letting Elta go as she struggled in his grasp.

"My mother's crystal! How could you? You horrible creature! That was all I had left of my mother!" Elta screamed, in tears as Gurjin picked a somewhat safe way to the door, still holding Elta.

Once outside, he sent a childling for his father and mother, as well as guards to hold Yupa. Although he could hear some yelps and shouting from inside the store house. Pemma was their father's favourite for a reason. She wasn't afraid to administer her own justice, if she saw fit to do so.

Bellanji and the guards came at a run, Laesid and her attendant arrived in good time as well, and someone turned up with a broom to sweep up the shards of crystal so Pemma and Yupa could walk out the door. Yupa had bruises forming on her cheek and was favouring her right foot. She yelped when Elta tried to lunge for her, but was caught by Gurjin and a guard.

"Quiet!" Laesid bellowed, and turned to Pemma, who was seething. "Pemma, what happened?"

"She led us here, to the third level. She had hidden the sunfinder stone under the rain tarps. She grabbed it and hurried to the edge of the platform and threw it to the first level. The stone shattered. Gurjin and Elta were on the ground level and he tried to shield her from the shards, he took her outside, and I lost my temper. I hit her, and stomped on her foot to keep her from running off." Pemma explained coldly. Bellanji looked impressed for a moment.

"For attacking another gelfling, you are to serve on night patrol for a week." Laesid said coolly, Yupa had the nerve to smirk, but went pale when Laesid turned to her.

"You have admitted to destroying other gelflings belongings while they were in the possession of a trusted seamstress. You have destroyed the means of which she made her income. You have spread hurtful rumours, and you have now destroyed a priceless sunfinder stone. It was all that was salvageable from it's owner's home. You have willfully displayed your contempt for those displaced from their homes and lands." Laesid said in her loudest commanding voice,

"You will be kept under lock and key until the caravan leaves, and you will leave with it. You are no longer a Drenchen. You are clanless, until another Maudra takes pity on you or someone takes you as a mate. You are banished from the Swamp of Sog" She added, with a fearsome glare at Yupa, who had begun to shake, and had tears in her eyes. Laesid motioned to Bellanji, he and two guards carried off Yupa, as she openly wept and begged forgiveness, Laesid didn't even twitch an ear in her direction.

"So she's to travel with us?" Gurjin asked, with some heat. Elta was quietly sobbing in his arms.

"She'll be under the command of someone else, not you or Naia. But Naia will have final say in any punishment for the caravan." Laesid stated. "She'll either learn how to get along, or she will never return to Sog again. She will go on with Naia to the next connection after the Dousan, after that, she will be her own gelfling." Laesid said coolly, Gurjin knew how to discern his mother's mood from her tone of voice. She was furious and holding her temper with an iron grip.

Laesid, Pemma, and the frightened attendant left the docks, and Gurjin led Elta back to her cottage. He settled her with a cup of hot ta and sat with her, stroking her hair and simply being a source of calm. Once Elta calmed down enough to speak and not burst into tears again, she thanked Gurjin for his thoughtfulness.

"Do you want to see the day Mother brought the crystal home?" Elta asked, holding out her hand, Gurjin took her hand, not bothering to hide his eagerness to dream fast with her.

They spun into Elta's childhood. She and her sister had just gotten home from playing with the Dousan childlings, and were called into their mother's sewing room. Elta hurried into the small bright room, and gasped, her mother was holding a diamond, to her childish perception.

"Mama, you have a treasure!" child Elta exclaimed, as her sister hurried over to be the first to touch it, marvelling at how smooth it was.

"It's a quartz lens. It's for making candle light brighter at night so I can sew at night. You mustn't touch it without permission. Little hands aren't strong enough yet." Elta's mother said kindly, more to her sister, who was trying unsuccessfully to take hold of the large disk.

Gurjin uncharitably thought that this was before she started teaching insular clan purity to her daughters. Elta's amusement rippled the dream fast for a moment, and the scene changed to a later unum. Elta was running to her mother, shrieking that her sister had dropped the disk. Her mother ran to the sewing room and such a racket happened that Elta didn't dare to go in and see what had happened.

"She got her bottom tanned dark as boot leather." Elta said sheepishly. "She never liked me again after that. Called me a snitch. I was only five trines old, she was seven. She did know what would happen if she went snooping in mother's sewing room." Gurjin chuckled.

"Mother would have buried me or Naia for dropping a sunfinder stone, and ours are only large enough to hold in one hand." Gurji said, showing Elta the size of the largest stone he had seen. "And only a few of our navigators have them for open lake fishing." Gurjin stood and pulled Elta to her feet.

"Let's go get some dinner. I'm starving all of a sudden."Eta suggested. "Then after, you can show me this house you had built." Gurjin broke into a wide grin, and followed Elta to the dining hall.

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	25. Epilogue

The rest of the Festival passed without incident, and a lightness seemed to permeate the very air as the monsoon rains kept rolling through. Several females reported new pregnancies to Laesid, who announced to the Clan that they would be welcoming new members in the next six unums. The caravan was packed and ready to leave, with a sullen Yupa and all her belongings. Her family had at first begged Laesid to forgive her, but the sheer amount of quartz shards that Laesid handed them was staggering. The Drenchen were not a rich clan, not in tradable materials at least, so this was a shock to Yupa's parents. They collected all her belongings and carefully packed them into the wagon, she was no longer a Drenchen by name.

Naia and Amri had turned up, they had gone upstream and had been caught by the worst of the downpours, keeping them holed up in a cave, or nearly three days. Kylan had found out that he was indeed soon to be a father, although the female had told him that she was already mated, and no matter how they tried, she had been unable to conceive. With her mate's agreement, she sought out another male, and liked the look of Kylan and his song telling talent. So she had joined with him, and had become pregnant.

Kylan was welcome to know the child, and impart his knowledge, or not acknowledge the child at all. He chose to play the role of close uncle. The child would grow, knowing that he was his father by blood, but not his by right. He would return to the Spriton after travelling to the Dousan, and spend time with his clan. The father had welcomed Kylan's idea warmly and called him brother, making him an official Drenchen.

Gurjin and Elta had moved their belongings to the larger house he had built, although they kept Elta's little cottage to sleep in. Drenchen were superstitious and did not allow unmarried couples to sleep in a new family house until after mating. They would return and go under the arch before living in the new house. Laesid and Bellanji also kept going on about grand childlings, and giving the new couples advice on how best to conceive. As well as advice on how to sneak off while travelling. Even Gurjin turned red at his father's advice, the night before they were to leave.

There was no fanfare, no celebrations, or family saying tearful goodbyes. Nearly a dozen mixed Clan refugees were moving forward in the evacuation line. Naia, Amri, and Gurjin were the only recognized Drenchen to leave the clan. Kylan and Elta, were accepted as members due to their relationships with the members. They left in the thin light of one sun, by the time they were out of the deep swamp, all three suns had risen, and they were on their way to the Spriton Plains.


	26. Sneak Peek

Ichav had been sent to meet the group of refugees that had come up from the Swamp of Sog. His patrol consisted of six crystal skimmers, with a team of three each. They would be able to carry several extra gelflings and their supplies into the Crystal Desert where they would meet with one of the twelve Xerics. He believed it was his older brother Harkol's this time. As the group came into sight, Ichav climbed down from his skimmer, and readied to meet with leader, a Drenchen female, and one who looked Vapran. He would find out later that he was Grottan.

Ichav watched as the female Drenchen turned to the large male next to her and both stopped for a moment. The pale gelfling popped out of the long grass and went running away, he was soon followed by a smaller male Spriton, and a female, also a Spriton. Ichav caught the basket, full of small yellow berries, as the silvery male dashed by him and turned to watch as the Spritons hurried after the first male.

Ichav felt his blood run cold. The basket fell from his nerveless fingers, and there was a roaring in his ears that sounded nothing like the song of Thra he was able to hear. The female stopped and actually stepped back when she caught sight of him.

"Ichav?" Elta said in a very small voice. That did it, Ichav would never admit it, not with his pride, but he fainted at the sight of Elta in front of him. The last thing he heard, before everything went sideways on him, was her shouting for help.


End file.
